Month: October 2018

The latest on Knicks rookie Kevin Knox

Rookie Kevin Knox is one of the most intriguing young players on the Knicks this season. He will be even more intriguing when he’s health and actually playing basketball again. Which should be relatively soon, though an exact date remains unknown. Here’s the New York Post with an update:

Knox will sit out his fifth straight game Wednesday night against the Pacers, but will travel with the team on the road trip to Dallas and Washington. Knox is currently participating in shooting drills and doing non-contact court activity while increasing his movement on a daily basis.

Despite being sidelined since suffering the left-ankle injury on Oct. 20, Knox believes his learning curve hasn’t slowed, and said he has picked up new things from the bench.

“I really enjoy watching on the side because I can really see the game from a different perspective,” said Knox, who was speaking to the media for the first time since the injury occurred. “It’s really fun to watch on the side, they talk, the way they move the ball, defensively. These past few games I was on the bench watching it was pretty great. I got to talk to players on the bench, tell them what they can do better, more and more leadership I can bring to the team.”

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Raptors exercise contract options on Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby

Raptors exercise contract options on Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby

The Toronto Raptors have exercised the fourth-year team option on the rookie scale contract of forward Pascal Siakam and the third-year team option on the rookie scale contract of forward OG Anunoby.

The contracts for Anunoby and Siakam are now guaranteed through the 2019-20 season.

In accordance with the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Raptors had until Oct. 31, 2018 to exercise their option on both players.

Siakam, 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, is averaging 10.9 points 7.0 rebounds and 26.0 minutes in eight games (seven starts) this season. He set career highs with 22 points Oct. 29 at Milwaukee, and 15 rebounds Oct. 30 vs. Philadelphia.

Siakam was picked by Toronto 27th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft. He has averaged 6.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 19.1 minutes in 144 games (50 starts) with the Raptors.

Anunoby, 6-foot-8, 232 pounds, was selected by the Raptors with the 23rd overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He has averaged 7.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 24.2 minutes in five games this season.

Anunoby averaged 5.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 20.0 minutes in 74 games (62 starts) last season. He ranked seventh among rookies in field goal percentage (.471) and sixth in three-point field goal percentage (.371). Anunoby scored in double figures 10 times with two 20-point performances.

Wizards sign Chasson Randle

Wizards sign Chasson Randle

The Washington Wizards yesterday (Tuesday, October 30) signed guard Chasson Randle from the Capital City Go-Go.

Randle (6-3, 185) spent 2018 training camp with the Wizards and appeared in three preseason games, where he averaged 5.3 points and 2.6 assists per game.

The 25-year-old guard spent the 2016-17 season split between the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks, appearing in 26 total games and averaging 5.3 points per game. The Stanford graduate also appeared in 21 NBA G League games in 2016-17, averaging 20.5 points per game in those contests. Randle spent the 2017-18 season with Real Madrid in Spain, averaging 3.6 points per game in 46 games.

Washington’s roster now stands at 14, not including two-way players Devin Robinson and Jordan McRae.

Hornets assign Devonte` Graham to G League

The Charlotte Hornets have assigned guard Devonte’ Graham to the Greensboro Swarm, the team’s NBA G League affiliate.

Graham has appeared in two games averaging 3.5 points and 1.5 assists in 9.5 minutes per game in his rookie season with the Hornets. Charlotte acquired the rights to Graham, the 34th overall selection in the 2018 NBA Draft, from the Atlanta Hawks in a draft night trade. Graham, a 6-2 guard from Kansas, was the 2017-18 Big 12 Player of the Year and a consensus First Team All-American after averaging 17.3 points, 7.2 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 37.8 minutes in 39 games played as a senior.

This marks the Hornets first player assignment to the Swarm this season. The Swarm open their regular-season schedule this weekend with contests at Wisconsin on Nov. 2 and at Capitol City on Nov. 3. The Swarm will return for their Home Opener at the Fieldhouse at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex against the Grand Rapids Drive on Friday, Nov. 10.

Bucks exercise contract options on D.J. Wilson and Thon Maker

Bucks exercise contract options on D.J. Wilson and Thon Maker

The Milwaukee Bucks have exercised the third-year contract option on forward D.J. Wilson and the fourth-year contract option on forward Thon Maker.

Wilson, 22, was the 17th overall selection in the 2017 NBA Draft. He appeared in 22 games for the Bucks in his rookie campaign and averaged 1.0 point and 0.5 rebounds. In 11 games for the Wisconsin Herd, the G League affiliate of the Bucks, Wilson averaged 15.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists last season.

The 10th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Maker, 21, is averaging 6.3 points and 4.7 rebounds over three games this season. In his first two seasons with the Bucks, Maker averaged 4.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.

Under the terms of the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement, the first two years of a first round draft pick’s contract are guaranteed, while the third and fourth year of the contract are the team’s option.

Hornets exercise contract option on Malik Monk

The Charlotte Hornets today exercised their third-year option on guard Malik Monk.

The 6-3 Kentucky product is in his second NBA season after appearing in 63 games during his 2017-18 rookie campaign in Charlotte. Through seven games this season, Monk is averaging 11.0 points per game on 35.1% shooting. He holds career averages of 7.1 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 14.6 minutes per game in 70 contests. Monk was selected by the Hornets 11th overall in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft.

The Hornets host the Miami Heat tonight at 7 p.m. at Spectrum Center in the first game of a four-game homestand. Charlotte hosts Oklahoma City on Thursday, Nov. 1, Cleveland on Saturday, Nov. 3 and Atlanta on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Spurs to retire Manu Ginobili jersey

The San Antonio Spurs will retire Manu Ginobili’s No. 20 jersey on Thursday, March 28 when the Silver and Black host the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. CDT. A special postgame ceremony honoring Ginobili will take place on the AT&T Center floor.

Ginobili will become the ninth player in Spurs franchise history to have his number raised to the rafters, joining Bruce Bowen (12), Tim Duncan (21), Sean Elliott (32), George Gervin (44), Avery Johnson (6), Johnny Moore (00), David Robinson (50) and James Silas (13).

In 16 seasons with the Spurs, Ginobili captured four NBA championships while posting a career winning percentage of .721 (762-295), which is the best winning percentage in NBA history among players who have appeared in at least 1,000 games.

Selected by San Antonio with the 57th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, Ginobili appeared in 1,057 career games, averaging 13.3 points, 3.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.32 steals in 25.4 minutes. He is the Spurs all-time leader in three-pointers made (1,495) and steals (1,392), while ranking third in games played (1,057), fourth in assists (4,001), fourth in free throws made (3,380) and fifth in points (14,043). Ginobili was named to the All-NBA Third Team in both 2008 and 2011 and was a two-time All-Star (2005 and 2011). The 2008 NBA Sixth Man of the Year is the first sixth man, as well as the first South American, to earn All-NBA honors.

Ginobili and LeBron James are the only two players in NBA postseason history with at least 3,000 points and 300 three-pointers in the playoffs. Ginobili appeared in 218 career playoff games, averaging 14.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.34 steals in 27.9 minutes. One of 10 players ever to appear in over 200 playoff games, he came off the bench 165 times and is the all-time leader in NBA postseason history as a reserve in points (2,014), assists (576), rebounds (635), steals (205), field goals made (630), three-pointers made (226) and free throws made (528). Ginobili and Tony Parker combined to record 132 playoff wins together, which are the most victories by any teammates in postseason history.

After signing with the Spurs in the summer of 2002, Ginobili became one of just seven players in NBA history to spend his entire career with one team while playing at least 16 seasons, along with Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, John Havlicek, Reggie Miller, Dirk Nowitzki and John Stockton. He is the first South American and just the second player drafted in the second round or later to appear in at least 1,000 games with one team.

Ginobili is one of only two players in history, along with Bill Bradley, to win a EuroLeague title, an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal.

Sixers unveil Rocky-inspired City Edition uniform

The Philadelphia 76ers unveiled today their 2018-19 City Edition uniform, which the team says “celebrates Philadelphia’s rich history of the challenger’s mentality that inspired the “Rocky” and “Creed” films.”

Per the team: The uniform’s core displays the iconic circle of 13 stars derived from the boxing ring where Rocky Balboa first squared off against Apollo Creed, while the gray sweatsuit-textured base was influenced by both Adonis Creed’s and Rocky’s legendary training scenes throughout the streets of Philadelphia. The crisp blue, red and white waistband trim on the shorts is inspired by Rocky’s championship belt. Meanwhile, the phrase “PHILADELPHIA, USA,” is embroidered on the lower left hem of the jersey as a nod to the city’s fans, heart and determination.

“We are excited to unveil this season’s City Edition uniform, which pays tribute to the heart, determination, and tenacity of our city and fan base,” Philadelphia 76ers President of Business Operations Chris Heck said. “In partnership with StubHub and MGM, we developed a concept that speaks to the mentality that has defined our city for generations. It’s a nod to a city with a fighter’s toughness and mentality, a mentality that our team and players embody every time they take the floor. As stewards of the 76ers brand, we have an obligation to honor old Philadelphia and celebrate new Philadelphia. We are proud to wear this uniform and represent the City of Brotherly Love.”

Blake Griffin doing big things for Pistons this season

The Pistons are an impressive 4-1 to start this new season. That’s too small a sample size to go too overboard with expectation, but it’s still an excellent sign that the team can do some decent things in 2018-19. Leading the team in scoring, in a big way, is power forward Blake Griffin, who is putting up 28.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, on 50.5% shooting. Griffin has also been amazing from three-point range this season, taking 5.4 three-point attempts per game so far and hitting 55.6% of them. Here’s the Detroit Free Press with more:

He put up a clunker in Saturday’s 109-89 loss to the Boston Celtics. But other than that, he has played as well as any player in the league. Griffin scored 50 last Tuesday in an overtime win against the Philadelphia Sixers and followed it up two nights later with 26 points and 10 rebounds in the win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Quite simply, Griffin has been a superstar in the first two weeks of the season, something this team hasn’t had in at least a decade and maybe longer.

That brings me back to one of the most basic truths in sports: Fans love superstars. They buy their jerseys. They try to get them on their fantasy teams. They watch them when they’re on the floor. When Griffin is on the floor, people watch.

Defining a superstar is tricky. For some people, it’s like determining whether or not someone is a Hall of Famer. The simple answer is — if you have to ask, then they’re not a Hall of Famer. Is the same true of NBA superstars? If you have to ask, then they’re not a superstar. By my book, Griffin was a superstar, lost his superstar status due to injury and playoff losses, and is now angling to achieve that status again. If he’s able to do that, if he’s able to stay healthy and be a dominant force on a winning team, then he’ll be a magnet for the fans.

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