Sacramento is among the teams that has tried to engage the Lakers in Kyle Kuzma trade talks, as reported by New York Times’ Marc Stein.
The Kings reportedly know they would have to include Serbian guard Bogdan Bogdanovic in a Kuzma deal. Bogdanovic will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
Fonte: Marc Stein.
The Cavaliers say Kevin Porter Jr. will be re-evaluated in two weeks, as reported by Marc Stein of the New York Times.
Porter has been initially diagnosed with a left knee sprain.
Fonte: Marc Stein.
The Brooklyn Nets have signed Justin Anderson to a ten-day contract.
Anderson comes from the Raptors 905.
The Atlanta Hawks have signed Paul Watson to a 10-day contract, it was announced today.
The 6’6” forward has started all 13 games this season for the Raptors 905 of the NBA G League, averaging 18.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 34.3 minutes (.533 FG%, .467 3FG%, .706 FT%). He spent the previous two seasons in the G League with the Westchester Knicks, who selected him in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2017 G League Draft.
Watson played four years at Fresno State, where as a senior in 2016-17, he compiled 11.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 32.3 minutes (.414 FG%, .341 3FG%, .679 FT%).
The native of Phoenix, AZ led Paradise Valley High School to the state championship his senior year. He will wear jersey No. 2.
Fonte: Atlanta Hawks.
The Washington Wizards announced today that they have waived guard Justin Robinson. Robinson appeared in nine games for the Wizards this season, averaging 1.4 points per contest.
The Wizards’ roster now stands at 15, not including two-way players Garrison Mathews and Anzejs Pasecniks.
Fonte: Washington Wizards.
The Los Angeles Lakers are ready to listen to offers for Kyle Kuzma.
Per The Athletic, Jokes aside, here’s the real question some executives are asking about the 24-year-old forward: Will Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka eventually send him packing to upgrade the Lakers’ roster for a title run? As our Shams Charania reported Friday, teams are monitoring his situation and wondering whether he can be had before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. What’s more, sources now say the Lakers have shown a recent willingness to listen to pitches for Kuzma . And … we’re off — sort of. From the Lakers’ perspective, this open-phone-lines approach is merely a case of Pelinka doing due diligence as opposed to having substantive discussions. If only because nothing of real interest has come their way — yet.
As for James, whose influence and voice should never be overlooked in situations like this, a source with knowledge of his thinking said he remains supportive of Kuzma — even after a social media snafu with Kuzma’s trainer, who threw shade LeBron’s way after the Lakers’ Christmas Day loss to the Clippers and inspired the understandable questioning of Kuzma by the media in Lakers Land a day later.
Wizards forward Rui Hachimura will be available to the media tonight at 7:15 p.m. outside the locker room prior to the team’s game vs. the Denver Nuggets (8:00 p.m. tipoff).
Hachimura re-joined the team on the sidelines for last night’s game vs. Portland. He will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks as he continues to recover from a minor procedure associated with the groin injury he sustained on Dec. 16 in Detroit.
Fonte: Washington Wizards.
The Atlanta Hawks are signing swingman Paul Watson to a 10-day contract, according to Shams Charania.
Watson has played 12 games for the Raptors 905 in the NBA G League this season, averaging 18.8 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 47 percent from 3-point range.
Fonte: Shams Charania.
The Washington Wizards announced they have waived forward Johnathan Williams, who had reached the 10-day limit on the team’s injury hardship exception.
Williams appeared in six games for the Wizards (four starts), averaging 5.5 points and 6.3 rebounds.
Fonte: Washington Wizards.
The Brooklyn Nets announced they have signed point guard Chris Chiozza to a two-way contract.
Chiozza was averaging 10.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game in the G League with the Capital City Go-Go. He also appeared in 10 games with the Washington Wizards earlier this season.
Fonte: Brooklyn Nets.
Kevin Love had an “emotional verbal outburst” towards Koby Altman about the state of the Cleveland Cavaliers following a Saturday shootaround, sources told Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Love reportedly screamed in front of coaches, teammates, and front office members that there is “no feel here”; he was recently fined $1,000 by the organization for an outburst on the bench.
Cavs All Star later showed his frustration several times on the court during Saturday night’s Cleveland loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Love became annoyed late in the second quarter, when Collin Sexton didn’t throw him the ball as he was getting position in the lane. The veteran forward threw his arms in the air and slowly walked toward Sexton at the top of the key.
Kevin Love appeared to be visibly frustrated with Collin Sexton. pic.twitter.com/NKA02hBOt4
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 5, 2020
In an Instagram post following Saturday’s game, Love shared a photo of himself with his arm around Sexton and wrote, in part, “I love my teammates.”
Fonte: The Athletic.
Evan Turner said that the Atlanta Hawks approached him and Chandler Parsons about being inactive for the “foreseeable future” as the team focuses on its young players, as reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
Turner is averaging 3.3 points in 18 games this season, while Parsons has played in 6 games for the Hawks.
Fonte: Boston Globe.
In an interview with the Kansas City Star, Bill Self publicly addressed rumors that he could leave Kansas to replace Gregg Popovich as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs. Self has been linked with the Spurs due to his longstanding friendship with R.C. Buford.
“There’s absolutely zero truth to that,” Self said. “The thing that cracks me up about some media types is the more outlandish things you can say … what it was, was (his) ‘Bold Predictions for 2020 (segment).’ You grab something or throw something against the wall and hope something sticks. There’s zero truth to that. That’s not even one that would impact us positively, negatively. There’s nothing to it at all”.
Houston Rockets wing Gerald Green is hopeful he can return for the playoffs after undergoing surgery to repair a broken bone in his left foot.
“I’m not trying to speed myself up, but hoping I’ll be ready to go by the end of this year, maybe towards playoffs,” Green said. “Don’t want to put myself ahead of schedule. Don’t want to get anybody’s hopes up or anything like that. It’s something I have a personal goal. If I reach it, great. If I don’t, it’s not the end of the world. Just keep getting healthy.”
Fonte: Jonathan Feigen.
Eric Mika has been released by Chinese team Xinjiang because he has an NBA opportunity, a source told Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.
The big man averaged 19.9 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 7 CBA Games.
Mika started the season in G League with the Stockton Kings, where he recorded over 19 points, 15 rebounds and 2 assist per game.
Hearing that Eric Mika has been released by Chinese team Xinjiang because he has an NBA opportunity.
The big man recorded 19.9 points and 11.7 rebounds in 7 CBA games.
Mika was with Kings at Summer League and during preaseason— Emiliano Carchia (@Carchia) January 4, 2020
According to Tim MacMahon of Espn, the Philadelphia 76ers ‘will search the trade market for perimeter shooting threats with playmaking ability’.
The 76ers have lost 4 games in a row, their longest losing streak since December 2017.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have converted the Two-Way contract of forward Tyler Cook into a standard NBA contract, the team announced.
The rookie forward is averaging over 12 points and 6 rebounds in G League with the Canton Charge.
ROSTER UPDATE: the Cavs have converted the Two-Way contract of forward @iamtc25 into a standard NBA contract.
Details ↴
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) January 3, 2020
Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports adds 3 NBA teams to the list of those interested in Andre Drummond: Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics.
Yesterday Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Pistons have talked with the Atlanta Hawks and several other teams about a trade involving the former UConn big man.
Boston, Dallas, Toronto have also registered interest in Andre Drummond, according to sources. Drummond has relationships with Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Lowry
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) January 3, 2020
The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on guard/forward David Nwaba.
Nwaba appeared in 20 games for Brooklyn this season, recording averages of 5.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per contest. He signed with the Nets on July 17, 2019.
OFFICIAL: The Nets have requested waivers on guard/forward David Nwaba.
Thank you, @dnwaba0. pic.twitter.com/HGErYp34Bg
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 3, 2020
Fonte: NBA.com.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Detroit and Atlanta have been engaged in talks on a trade centered on Andre Drummond.
The ESPN reporter adds that the Pistons are discussing about a Drummond trade with several other teams.
The former UConn big man, who will be among the most coveted free agent in the next offseason, is averaging 17.6 points, 15.8 rebounds (No.1 in the league), 2.7 assist, 2 steals and 1.8 blocks.
Drummond has a $28M player option for next season that he is unlikely to exercise, forcing the Pistons to consider possibility of losing him in free agency. Among teams, there’s an increasing belief that Drummond will be moved before February 6 trade deadline. https://t.co/s4PDchLVWV
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 3, 2020
According to Shams Charania, several teams are doing ‘due diligence’ on Kyle Kuzma, in case the Lakers decide to trade him.
The reporter adds that the Front Office wiev the former Utah forward as a core part of their future, and therefore has no intention of trading him.
This season Kuzma is averaging 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds.
Fonte: The Athletic.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Brooklyn Nets are waiving two-way player Henry Ellenson.
The team wants to add another backcourt player on a two-way or 10-day contract.
Ellenson played 10 games in G League for the Long Island Nets, with averages of over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Brooklyn is waiving two-way F Henry Ellenson, league sources tell ESPN. Nets will likely add another backcourt player on a two-way or 10-day contract.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 3, 2020
According to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, the Miami Heat are targeting Dwyane Wade #3 jersey retirement for February 22 vs. Cavaliers.
The Heat have four retired jersey numbers: the number 33 jersey worn by Alonzo Mourning, the number 10 jersey worn by Tim Hardaway, the number 1 jersey worn by Chris Bosh, and the number 23 jersey worn by Michael Jordan, who has never played for Miami.
Fonte: Ira Winderman.
The Brooklyn Nets are waiving G/F David Nwaba, as reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Nwaba will miss the remainder of the season with a torn Achilles tendon.
To replace him, Brooklyn plans to sign G League swingman Justin Anderson of Raptors 905 to 10-day contract.
Fonte: Shams Charania.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler and the Jordan Brand have mutually agreed to part ways, bringing Butler’s multiyear footwear and apparel endorsement deal with the company to an end 10 months before its original Sept. 30, 2020, expiration date, industry sources have confirmed.
The split makes the four-time All-Star and four-time all-defensive wing the highest-profile sneaker free agent across the league. Butler is expected to begin discussions with multiple brands toward negotiating a new multiyear endorsement deal that would begin this season, potentially in advance of All-Star Weekend.
An unheralded final draft pick of the 2011 first round, Butler had initially signed a shoe deal with Adidas as a Chicago Bulls rookie. Three seasons later, he took a reported 75% pay cut to instead sign with Jordan Brand; he would go on to be named the NBA’s Most Improved Player and become a first-time All-Star by the end of the 2014-15 season.
Zion Williamson went through his first full practice after rehabbing from meniscus surgery.
The Pelicans say Williamson will not play in the upcoming two-game road trip, but the team is reportedly hopeful that he can make his NBA debut sometime in January.
Fonte: New Orleans Pelicans.
After a stunning retirement prior to free agency, in order to focus on his faith, veteran guard Darren Collison is considering a February return to the NBA, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Lakers and Clippers are emerging as Collison’s two preferred destinations. Former Pacers guard has played with the Clippers during the 2013-2014 season.
Fonte: Adrian Wojnarowski.
According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the NBA could give up on reseeding the Conference finalists in order to gain approval for the in-season tournament.
The in-season tournament would require each of the NBA’s 30 teams to give up two home dates and there has been strong resistance due to lost revenue, but the resistance he has faced on reseeding the final four teams based on record instead of continuing with the conference tradition has been even stronger.
Fonte: Marc Stein.