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Weekly Washington Wizards notes: Feb. 28, 2022

WIZARDS TEAM NOTES

Washington is shooting the ball at a .430 clip (65-151 3PT) from beyond the arc during the last five games. This ranks as the HIGHEST mark among all teams in the NBA during that span.

The Wizards are averaging 9.0 steals per game over the last six contests which is tied with Phoenix for the best mark in the league over that span.

Wizards rookie forward Corey Kispert is tied for sixth among all NBA rookies in three-point field goal percentage (.319) this season. Kispert recorded a three-point field goal in 13 consecutive games (1/23 to 2/25), a Wizards rookie franchise record.

The Wizards returned from the All-Star break with back-to-back games versus the Spurs and Cavs. The Wizards begin a three game homestand on Tuesday, March 1.

First-place Suns fall to Jazz

The Phoenix Suns are having a great season, but their current task is to learn to keep the winning going without injured point guard Chris Paul. Here’s Arizona Sports on Sunday’s Suns loss to the Jazz:

Time to dial those expectations back a bit if you were expecting smooth sailing for the Phoenix Suns without Chris Paul (and, for the meantime, Cam Payne).

Even in a game on Sunday afternoon where they played fairly well against a very good Utah Jazz team, it just wasn’t enough, and that “enough” is a much higher bar in this situation. That brought on a 118-114 loss to Utah.

To rinse and repeat the theme from Friday, the wiggle room for a Paul-less Suns to come out with wins is cut off dramatically. The Suns can still execute to that level, and this is not to say the expectation should be .500 ball until Paul’s back, but there’s an obvious adjustment period they’re going through that we’re seeing.

Phoenix shot 51.2% from the field and 46.4% at 3-point range. But the Jazz decisively won the battles in second-chance (27-14) and bench points (43-11), putting the Suns back in an uphill journey despite the great shooting numbers.

The Suns still have a nice six-game lead on the Warriors in the West. And the Warriors are a few games up on the Grizzlies, who are three games up on the Jazz.

Andre Drummond and Seth Curry off to good start for Nets

The Nets are still waiting new addition Ben Simmons to become available to play, but other players in the trade that sent James Harden to the Sixers have quickly shown their high value. Via the NY Post:

How key was prying Andre Drummond and Seth Curry out of Philadelphia in the James Harden-Ben Simmons swap? The pair haven’t just started since the trade went down, but they’ve posted the best plus-minus stats on the whole Nets roster.

Drummond is a plus-34 with Curry right behind at plus-33 in five starts coming into Monday’s tilt versus Toronto, both having filled glaring needs.

The floor-spacing Curry is averaging 19.2 points on 47.4 percent shooting from deep, while Drummond is posting a double-double (11.2 points, 11.0 boards) in just 22 minutes. Both have seemed to fit in seamlessly.

On paper, the Nets are absolutely loaded with talent. But the wait for full squad health continues. In the meantime, there’s a lot of responsibility on Curry and Drummond’s shoulders.

Kevon Looney proving durable this season for Warriors

Kevon Looney has played in all 60 games for the Warriors so far this season, and he’s got his eye on making that number 82 by the conclusion. Via the San Jose Mercury News:

Looney turned 26 earlier this month, but his newfound health has him feeling — and playing — better than anytime since he entered the league. Back then, he said, “I couldn’t play 20-minute games back to back, 30-minute games I’d need a day off.”

This season, he is averaging 20 minutes per game for the first time in his career and has logged two games with more than 30 (and another four with at least 28 minutes). As the Warriors’ only true big man, he is also on track to set career highs in scoring (6.4 points per game) and rebounding (7.5).

The number Looney cares about, though? Eighty two.

“For me,” he said, “it started off with getting to 70 games, getting to 60 games, to get in the rotation. Now I want to be at the point where I can play in all 82. And I feel like my body’s ready for it.”

Looney has been a solid rotation player this season for the 43-17 Warriors.

No set return date yet for Knicks guard Derrick Rose

It’s unclear when Derrick Rose will be back in action for the New York Knicks. Via the New York Post:

Tom Thibodeau wouldn’t commit to Knicks point guard Derrick Rose returning in March.

The Knicks revealed Rose’s “minor procedure” Friday involved cleaning up a skin infection that developed where he underwent surgery in mid-December to remove a bone spur. Hence, it’s unclear on how invasive a procedure it was amid a report which stated he could be back in two weeks.

However, Thibodeau didn’t sound like that timetable was firm. The Knicks said he’s out indefinitely.

Cleveland Cavaliers sign guard Tim Frazier to 10-day contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Tim Frazier to a 10-day contract, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Frazier (6-0, 172) has appeared in 287 career NBA games (84 starts) with Philadelphia, Portland, New Orleans, Washington, Milwaukee, Detroit, Memphis and Orlando. He holds career averages of 4.9 points, 4.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 17.7 minutes. Additionally, Frazier has played in 15 postseason games over his career. Frazier has also played in 49 games (47 starts) over two seasons in the NBA G League and was named the 2015 NBA G League Most Valuable Player, posting averages of 16.1 points, 9.5 assists, 7.1 rebounds and 1.66 steals in 35.6 minutes with the Maine Celtics during the 2014-15 season.

This season with the Magic, Frazier appeared in 10 games (3 starts), averaging 3.7 points and 3.3 assists in 20.0 minutes per contest. Frazier will wear jersey number 12 for the Cavaliers.

Miami Heat sign forward Haywood Highsmith to another 10-day contract

The Miami Heat have signed forward Haywood Highsmith to another 10-day contract.

Highsmith, who was previously signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on December 30 and again on February 15, has appeared in six games with Miami this season totaling 22 points, nine rebounds and a block while shooting 38.1 percent (8-of-21) from the field and 40 percent (6-of-15) from three-point range. He has also appeared in 17 G League games (11 starts) with the Delaware Blue Coats this season and averaged 13.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.24 steals and 29.8 minutes while shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from three-point range.

After spending four seasons at Wheeling University from 2014-18, Highsmith signed a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, splitting the season between the Sixers and their G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats. Highsmith appeared in five games with the 76ers in 2018-19 totaling nine points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal while shooting 40 percent (4-of-10) from the field. Additionally, he has appeared in 106 career G League games (76 starts) over three seasons, all with the Blue Coats, averaging 11.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.18 steals and 29.6 minutes while shooting 43.5 percent from the field.

Former Pacers coach Dick Versace passes away

Some sad news today, via the Indianapolis Star:

The Bradley University men’s basketball program announced the death of former Pacers coach Dick Versace on Friday. He was 81.

Versace was 73-87 in parts of three seasons with the Pacers, taking over 19 games into 1988-89. The team went 42-40 in 1989-90 and made the playoffs for just the third time in the franchise’s NBA history but Versace was fired after starting the 1990-91 season 9-16, with Bob Hill replacing him.

San Antonio Spurs waive guard Tomas Satoransky

The San Antonio Spurs have waived guard Tomáŝ Satoranský.

Satoranský appeared in one game with the Silver and Black. He was acquired from Portland, along with a 2027 second round pick from Utah, in a three-team deal with the Trail Blazers and Jazz on Feb. 9.

The move is reportedly a buyout agreement, with Satoransky reportedly expected to sign with the Washington Wizards, the team he began his NBA career with and played for from 2016-19.

The Spurs roster now stands at 15 players.