Month: February 2020

Timberwolves waive little-used guard Allen Crabbe

The Minnesota Timberwolves waived guard Allen Crabbe today.

Crabbe played in just nine games this season for the Timberwolves, for an average of 3.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game.

Per the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

According to ESPN’s front office insider Bobby Marks, Crabbe had roughly $4.6 million remaining on his $18.5 million contract, which is set to expire after this season. If Crabbe signs with another team, it would give the Wolves some relief as it relates to the luxury tax.

He was acquired by the Wolves on January 16 from Atlanta.

Crabbe showed scoring ability around 2015-18 or so, as he played for the Trail Blazers and then the Nets, but injury struck, and in recent NBA seasons he has not contributed much.

The Timberwolves are 17-41 this season, which is the second worst record in the Western conference. During trade deadline week, they agreed to a deal that sent Andrew Wiggins to the Warriors and brought D’Angelo Russell, who along with center Karl-Anthony Towns, forms the team’s core as they move ahead.

Kings waive little-used forward Anthony Tolliver

The Sacramento Kings waived forward Anthony Tolliver today.

Acquired on January 21, 2020, Tolliver appeared in 9 games this season for Sacramento and averaged 1.0 points (.176 FG%, .133 3pt%, .500 FT%), 1.2 rebounds, 0.3 assists and 9.1 minutes per game. The 12-year NBA veteran has averaged 6.2 points (.415 FG%, .373 3pt%, .770 FT%), 3.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 19.6 minutes per game in 706 career games (101 starts) with 9 teams; San Antonio, Portland, Golden State, Minnesota, Atlanta, Charlotte, Phoenix, Detroit and Sacramento.

Per the Sacramento Bee:

The Kings traded for Tolliver in a January deal that shipped Kent Bazemore and Tolliver to the Kings in exchange for Trevor Ariza. Tolliver played with the Kings in 2016-17 as well. His minutes dropped to from about 17 a game with the Trail Blazers to about 9 a game with the Kings as Sacramento has a logjam of big men…

The move allows Tolliver to join a playoff contender that might have more need for a big man.

The Kings are 25-34 this season, which is the 11th best record in the Western conference. They’re being led in scoring by De’Aaron Fox at 20.0 points per game, and Buddy Hield at 19.9 PPG.

Rockets keeping Jeff Green for remainder of season

In an expected move, the Houston Rockets yesterday signed forward Jeff Green for the remainder of the season.

In four games as a Rocket, Green is averaging 9.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 19.3 minutes per game while shooting 70.0% from the floor and 61.5% from 3-point range. He has played at least 18 minutes in 17 of his 34 games for Utah and Houston this season, and is averaging 2.0 3-pointers made on 49.3% shooting in those games.

Houston Chronicle:

“I really like Jeff,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “He fits exactly what we need. Athletic. He can guard on the perimeter, guard bigs, hit 3s, run the floor. He can dunk and finish, roll, pop. He’s a complete player that complements what we do.”

He initially signed a 10-day contract with Houston on Feb. 18.

The Rockets are 38-20 this season, which is the Western conference’s 4th best record, and are on a five-game winning streak.

Grizzlies sign Jarrod Uthoff, waive Dusty Hannahs

The Memphis Grizzlies signed forward Jarrod Uthoff to a 10-day contract, as a “Call-Up” from the NBA G League’s Memphis Hustle.

In addition, the Grizzlies waived guard Dusty Hannahs.

Uthoff (6-9, 221) has started all 34 of his games with the Hustle this season and has averaged 18.9 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.38 steals and 1.15 blocks in 34.9 minutes while shooting 49.0 percent from the field, 36.3 percent from three-point range and 79.0 percent from the free throw line. The 26-year-old, who was named to the Western Conference Midseason All-NBA G League Team on Feb. 10, ranks third in the NBA G League in double-doubles (19) and sixth in rebounds per game.

The Cedar Rapids, Iowa native competed in nine games off the bench for the Dallas Mavericks during the 2016-17 season and averaged 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 12.8 minutes. He also has played professionally in Russia and in the NBA G League for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Texas Legends and Raptors 905. He went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft after completing his collegiate career at the University of Iowa, where he was named to the All-Big Ten First Team as a senior.

Uthoff will wear jersey #19 for the Grizzlies.

Hannahs (6-4, 195) appeared in two games as a reserve for the Grizzlies and averaged 6.0 points in 6.5 minutes after signing a 10-day contract on Feb. 21. The 26-year-old Little Rock, Arkansas native has averaged a team-high 21.3 points in 33 games (20 starts) for the Hustle this season, helping guide the team to the top spot in the NBA G League Western Conference Standings.

Bulls center Luke Kornet suffers major injury in practice

Chicago Bulls center Luke Kornet suffered a recent injury in practice that has turned out to essentially be season-ending.

Kornet sustained a left foot and ankle injury during February 21 Bulls practice. Subsequent testing revealed that he has a severe ankle sprain and fracture of his fifth metatarsal.

He is estimated to be out 6-to-8 weeks. The final Bulls game of the regular season is around seven weeks from now.

In 15.5 minutes per game this season, Kornet is averaging 6.0 points.

The Bulls are 20-39 this season and have lost nine of their last 10 games.

Hawks center Dewayne Dedmon out with elbow injury

Atlanta Hawks center Dewayne Dedmon underwent a non-surgical procedure to address right elbow pain today.

He will miss the next three games (tomorrow vs. Brooklyn, Saturday vs. Portland, Monday vs. Memphis), will be re-evaluated on Monday.

In six games played for the Hawks this season, Dedmon is averaging 7.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in 22.8 minutes per game. Earlier this season, he played 34 games for the Kings, for whom he averaged 5.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game.

The Hawks are 17-43 this season.

Heat took some unexpected losses recently

The Heat are having an outstanding season. But some of their recent losses are on the unexpected side of things. Here’s the Miami Herald reporting:

When asked to explain Monday’s ugly overtime loss to the Cavaliers, Heat guard Goran Dragic attempted to simplify a confusing result.

“They shut us down on offense, and we just didn’t play defense,” Dragic said.

Both things are true, with the Cavaliers rallying from a 22-point third-quarter deficit. But there’s only one side of the court that Heat coaches and players were pointing to as the reason for another road loss — defense.

“It looks and it sounds like a broken record,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, with the Heat returning to Miami to face the Timberwolves on Wednesday to begin a five-game homestand. “Either myself or Bam [Adebayo] or [Udonis Haslem] or whoever, Jimmy [Butler], you want to bring anybody in here and talk after one of these road games, we all sound the same. We have an idea every game on the road what it tends to be: When the shots go dry, do we have the ability to sustain defensively and get enough stops to change the momentum.” …

With Monday’s loss, the Heat fell to 13-18 on the road for the season. In its past 15 road games, Miami is 4-11 with losses to these sub-.500 teams: Wizards, Knicks, Kings, Hawks, and Cavaliers.

The Heat were without Jimmy Butler and some other key players, so it’s not a total surprise that they took a loss. Chalk it up to some minor bumps in the road over the course of a very successful season that should only get better once the team is fully healthy again and also learns to make the most of some impressive recent additions to the their bench.

D’Angelo Russell has brought mid-range jumpers to the Timberwolves

The mid-range jumper is a fascinating topic in the NBA these days. Many people frown upon it. But here’s the thing: It’s a good shot if the player shooting it is actually good at shooting mid-range jumpers, and takes them at the right time.

So, yes, it can be a good shot! And in other cases, it is not.

Your mind is blown, right?

Anyway, here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting:

The trade for D’Angelo Russell has meant the return of the mid-range jumper for the 2019-20 Wolves.

He’s attempted 13 shots from between 16 feet and the three point line in just four games with Minnesota, out of 71 total attempts – 18.3% of his total shots. Russell connected on just 1 of the first 7 of those before trying six more in Monday’s loss at Dallas – making three.

That 18.3% small sample size mark is higher than it was pre-trade with Golden State (14.3%) and his career mark (13.2%), but both those numbers would still be more than triple the Wolves’ team rate this season. All would also be far higher than the number posted with the Wolves this year by Andrew Wiggins (8.5%), the man Russell was traded for and a frequent long two hoister in previous seasons.

It’ll be fun watching Russell and center Karl-Anthony Towns develop chemistry as the season continues. And the question this summer will be, who will be alongside them.

Wizards guard Bradley Beal going wild lately

Time to give Wizards guard Bradley Beal some extra attention. He’s certainly earned it. Here’s the Washington Post with a look at his recent play:

The NBA hath no fury like Bradley Beal scorned. While his team remains a defensively challenged work in progress, Beal, with an assist from the All-Star Game balloting results, has succeeded in keeping the Washington Wizards relevant. That’s no small feat for the leader of a rebuilding squad that’s 16 games under .500.

In the 10 games since Beal learned he was not voted an all-star reserve by the league’s coaches, the eighth-year pro has averaged 36 points to increase his scoring average to 30.1, second only to Houston’s James Harden (35.3). Beal has posted new career highs in consecutive games, with 53 points on Sunday against the Bulls and 55 in Monday’s overtime loss to the Bucks.

“I’m a winner, so you can throw those 55 out with the last 53,” Beal said after becoming the first player in NBA history to score at least 50 points on consecutive days and have his team lose both games.

The Wizards are 20-36 this season, and despite Beal’s heroics have lost three straight games.

Still, both he and his team have been fun to watch lately.

Lakers sign Markieff Morris, waive DeMarcus Cousins

The Los Angeles Lakers signed forward Markieff Morris and waived center DeMarcus Cousins today.

In 623 career games (347 starts) for Phoenix, Washington, Oklahoma City and Detroit, Morris has averaged 11.6 points (.449 FG%), 5.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 25.7 minutes per game. He played in 44 games (16 starts) for the Pistons this season, notching 11.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 22.5 minutes while shooting a career-best 39.7 percent from three-point range.

The Kansas University product owns 46 career double-doubles and has scored 20 or more points on 78 occasions. In 24 NBA Playoff games (19 starts) for the Wizards and Thunder, Morris has totaled 9.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 block per game.