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Nets without Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin against Jazz

The Nets were missing the majority of an All-Star team-level starting lineup tonight. Via the New York Post:

The Nets’ Big Three was officially pared down to a Big Zero, with James Harden a late scratch from Wednesday’s game at NBA-leading Utah.

After suffering a neck injury in Sunday’s win, Harden had been listed as questionable and very much in doubt right through pregame warmups Tuesday in Portland before suiting up and leading the Nets to a come-from-behind victory. But questionable again a day later, he sat against the Jazz.

The team is also without Blake Griffin tonight. And of course, guard Spencer Dinwiddie also remains out for the season.

The starting Nets lineup tonight against the Jazz wound up as Tyler Johnson and Bruce Brown at guard, Joe Harris and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot at forward, and Jeff Green at center.

Knicks expected to keep Julius Randle, RJ Barrett

The current Knicks core, which the team presumably intends to keep around, is clear. Via the New York Newsday:

Tom Thibodeau has raised the value of some players that the Knicks might have considered trade bait not long ago, impressively enough that it’s hard to imagine any deal that would include Julius Randle or RJ Barrett. And with those two off the table, the Knicks best assets are a surplus of draft picks, salary cap space to absorb an unwanted contract and a handful of useful veterans and still young enough to be valued players who have yet to find their place. Austin Rivers, with no role right now and a cap-friendly contract, and Frank Ntilikina, with free agency looming and a pricey cap hold, are the most likely Knicks to move on.

The Knicks are 22-22 this season, which ties them with the Heat and Hornets for the 5th best record in the Eastern conference.

Randle is averaging 23.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game this season, while Barrett is putting up 17.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists. No one else on the team is scoring as much as 13 ppg.

Timberwolves trade rumors one day before deadline

Here’s the latest on the Timberwolves, via the Star Tribune:

With the NBA trade deadline set for 2 p.m. Thursday, the Timberwolves continued to be active in what one source has said is a slow-moving trade cycle, with the league seeming to wait on a few big pieces to move before other dominoes follow in their suit.

Magic forward Aaron Gordon and Atlanta forward John Collins are among the players the Wolves have been inquiring about in the weeks leading up to the deadline. The Wolves are gauging the market to see if there’s a power forward they could partner with Karl-Anthony Towns, but there are a few complicating factors the Wolves have to overcome to get any deals done, and it’s perhaps why no deal has happened yet.

The Timberwolves are 10-33 this season, which is the worst record in the Western conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2020-21 are Karl-Anthony Towns at 23.6 points per game (in just 23 games played), Malik Beasley at 20.5 ppg, D’Angelo Russell at 19.3 ppg (in just 20 games played), and rookie Anthony Edwards at 16.7 ppg.

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball undergoes wrist surgery

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball underwent successful surgery to address a fracture in his right wrist. The surgery was performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City by Dr. Michelle Carlson.

Ball’s wrist will be immobilized and he will be reevaluated in four weeks.

The injury was sustained during the Hornets loss to the LA Clippers on March 20.

Ball, the No. 3 overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draft, is averaging 15.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.59 steals (7th in the NBA) per game in 41 contests. Among rookie leaders, Ball ranks first in assists and steals, second in scoring and is tied for second in rebounds. Since starting on Feb. 1 in Miami, he is averaging 19.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.7 steals in his 21 starts while shooting .464% from the field and .426% from three-point range. Ball is the only player over the last 60 years to lead all rookies in total points, rebounds, assists and steals at the All-Star Break. Ball won back-to-back Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month Awards in January and February.

Clippers trade Mfiondu Kabengele to Kings

The LA Clippers have traded forward/center Mfiondu Kabengele, a conditional future second-round draft pick and cash considerations to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for a conditional future second-round draft pick, announced Lawrence Frank, Clippers president of basketball operations.

Kabengele, 23, has appeared in 23 games for the Clippers this season and averaged 1.2 points in 4.1 minutes.

Kabengele, listed at 6-foot-9, made 35 career appearances across two NBA seasons with the Clippers and holds career averages of 2.0 points in 4.5 minutes.

The 27th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Kabengele played two collegiate seasons at Florida State, earning the 2018-19 ACC Sixth Man of the Year award and 2019 All-ACC Tournament First Team honors.

The Kings roster now stands at 17 players.

Forward Paul Reed wins 2020-21 G League MVP and Rookie of Year awards

Delaware Blue Coats forward Paul Reed has been named the 2020-21 NBA G League Most Valuable Player and NBA G League Rookie of the Year, the NBA G League announced today. He becomes the third player to win both awards in the same season, joining Tim Frazier (2014-15) and Devin Brown (2002-03).

A two-way player with the Philadelphia 76ers, Reed (6-9, 210, DePaul) averaged 22.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.93 steals and 1.80 blocks while shooting 58.8% from the field and 44.4% from three-point range in 15 regular-season games with the Blue Coats. Among qualified players, Reed ranked third in the NBA G League in scoring and rebounding and tied for third in steals. He also recorded a league-high 12 double-doubles.

Among rookies, Reed was the league leader in rebounds per game and offensive rebounds per game (4.6), and he ranked second in scoring, tied for second in steals and seventh in blocks. Reed equaled a rookie season high with 35 points in Delaware’s 129-114 loss to the Oklahoma City Blue on Feb. 27, a total matched only by Raptors 905 guard Malachi Flynn.

Reed led the Blue Coats to a franchise-best seven-game winning streak to start the season, a stretch in which he averaged 22.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 2.29 steals and 1.43 blocks. He was named the NBA G League Player of the Week for Week 1 of the season.

Behind Reed, Delaware posted a 10-5 record in the regular season and earned the fourth seed in the 2021 NBA G League Playoffs. The Blue Coats won two playoff games before losing to the Lakeland Magic 97-78 in the NBA G League Final presented by YouTube TV on March 11.

The 76ers selected Reed with the 58th overall pick in the NBA Draft 2020 presented by State Farm. Reed, who signed a two-way contract with Philadelphia on Nov. 27, 2020, has appeared in seven games for the 76ers this season.

NBA G League head coaches and general managers whose teams participated in single-site play at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla., voted for both the MVP and Rookie of the Year awards.

Rio Grande Valley Vipers guard Kevin Porter Jr., who was on assignment from the Houston Rockets, finished in second place in voting for NBA G League MVP. Raptors 905 forward Henry Ellenson finished third.

In NBA G League Rookie of the Year voting, Lakeland forward Mamadi Diakite and Canton Charge guard Brodric Thomas finished in second and third place, respectively.

Lakers legend Elgin Baylor has passed away at age 86

Former Lakers player and Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor passed away peacefully of natural causes today in Los Angeles at the age of 86. Baylor was surrounded by his wife, Elaine, and his daughter, Krystal.

“Elgin was the love of my life and my best friend,” said Elaine. “And like everyone else, I was in awe of his immense courage, dignity and the time he gave to all fans. At this time we ask that I and our family be allowed to mourn his passing in privacy.”

Born on Sept. 16, 1934, in Washington, D.C., Baylor played one season at the College of Idaho before transferring to Seattle University, where he led the team to their first NCAA championship game before being drafted first overall by the Minneapolis Lakers in 1958. Baylor averaged 24.9 points, 15.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists as a rookie en route to Rookie of the Year honors. Baylor would go on to play 14 seasons for the Minneapolis and Los Angeles Lakers, earning NBA All-Star honors 11 times with 10 First Team All-NBA appearances. After retiring from basketball in 1971, Baylor went on to serve as a coach for the New Orleans Jazz and Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Los Angeles Clippers.

“Elgin was THE superstar of his era – his many accolades speak to that,” said Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss. “He was one of the few Lakers players whose career spanned from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. But more importantly he was a man of great integrity, even serving his country as a U.S. Army reservist, often playing for the Lakers only during his weekend pass. He is one of the all-time Lakers greats with his No. 22 jersey retired in the rafters and his statue standing guard in front of STAPLES Center. He will always be part of the Lakers legacy. On behalf of the entire Lakers family, I’d like to send my thoughts, prayers and condolences to Elaine and the Baylor family.”

Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977, Baylor’s No. 22 jersey was retired by the Lakers on Nov. 3, 1983, and a statue honoring Baylor was unveiled on April 6, 2018, at STAPLES Center.

Elgin is survived by his wife Elaine, a daughter (Krystal), a son and daughter (Alan and Alison) from a previous marriage, and a sister (Gladys Baylor Barrett).

Funeral arrangements are pending.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Elgin Baylor:

“Elgin Baylor set the course for the modern NBA as one of the league’s first superstar players. An 11-time All-Star during his Hall of Fame career with the Lakers, Elgin produced remarkable results with his athleticism and groundbreaking style of play, including setting an NBA Finals record with 61 points in Game 5 of the 1962 championship series – a performance made all the more extraordinary by the fact that he had spent part of that season away from his team while on active duty in the Army.

“In addition to his legendary playing career, Elgin was a man of principle. He was a leading activist during the height of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s and an influential voice among his fellow players. After his retirement, Elgin remained a part of the NBA family as both a coach and an executive, imparting his wisdom to generations of NBA talent. Elgin will be deeply missed, and we send our thoughts and prayers to his wife, Elaine, his family and friends.”

National Basketball Players Association Statement on the Passing of Elgin Baylor

“It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the recent passing of Hall Famer Elgin Baylor. Elgin’s success as a player, coach and executive in this league was unparalleled. He had a profound impact on the game of basketball and the generations of players that followed him.

During his playing career, Elgin was a strong voice for the collective group, standing up to push for guaranteed benefits and improved working conditions for all players. Elgin’s early advocacy played a vital role in the formation of our union and we are forever grateful for his courage and contributions.

We send our prayers and condolences to his wife Elaine, his family and the entire Lakers organization.”

Nets will be without Kyrie Irving for upcoming road trip

A Nets team playing at full strength continues to be an elusive endeavor. Via the NY Daily News:

Kyrie Irving will not accompany the Nets on their three-game road trip and instead will tend to a family matter, the team announced on Monday. He will miss the team’s back-to-back games in Portland against the Trail Blazers and in Utah against the league-best Jazz. He will also miss Friday’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons, a team that has proven difficult for Brooklyn to overcome.

The nature of the family matter is not immediately clear, and his absence is precisely why the Nets should fortify their back court and add another point guard to the roster.

Irving has been electric for the Nets at the shooting guard position, averaging a career-high 28 points on shooting percentages that could land him in the vaunted 50-40-90 club. But if the best ability is availability, Irving has not been at his best in his two seasons in Brooklyn.

The Nets are 29-14 this season, which is the second best record in the Eastern conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2020-21 are Kevin Durant at 29.0 points per game (in just 19 games played), Irving at 28.1 ppg (in 31 games played), and James Harden at 25.4 ppg (in 29 games since being traded from the Rockets to the Nets).

Nets sign forward Alize Johnson to 10-day contract

The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent forward Alize Johnson to a 10-day contract.

Johnson (6’7”, 212) joins the Nets after most recently playing for the Raptors 905 of the NBA G League. In 15 games (all starts) for the 905 during the 2021 NBA G League season, the 24-year-old averaged a double-double with 16.6 points and 13.3 rebounds to go along with 4.2 assists and 1.3 steals in 32.1 minutes per game. Johnson, who ranked second overall in the NBA G League in rebounds per game, helped lead the Raptors 905 to the top seed in the 2021 NBA G League Playoffs with a 12-3 regular season record. Johnson was originally selected with the 50th overall pick in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers. In 31 career games over two seasons (2018-20) with the Pacers, Johnson averaged 1.5 points and 2.2 rebounds in 5.9 minutes per contest. He also spent time with Indiana’s NBA G League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, over the two seasons and averaged 19.5 points, 13.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.1 steals in 36.7 minutes in 50 total games (all starts).

The Pennsylvania native spent his junior and senior seasons (2016-18) playing collegiately at Missouri State, appearing in 66 total games (all starts) and averaging 14.9 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 30.7 minutes per game. Johnson was named All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team after both campaigns. He began his collegiate career at Frank Phillips College in Texas before transferring to MSU.

Cavs sign Quinn Cook to another 10-day contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Quinn Cook to a second 10-day contract.

Cook (6-1, 179) has averaged 5.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 12.8 minutes through four games with the Cavaliers after signing his first 10-day contract with the team on March 12. He also played in 16 games for the Los Angeles Lakers this season before being waived on February 24.

A two-time NBA champion (2018, 2020), Cook has played in 185 regular season games (29 starts) over five NBA seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors, Lakers and Cavaliers, holding career averages of 6.4 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 14.1 minutes. He has also appeared in 40 postseason games, including six contests in last year’s title run with the Lakers.