Inside Hoops – Page 573 – NBA Blog

Ben Simmons even better than Sixers coach expected

Ben Simmons was expected to be very good. Maybe even great. For a rookie. But forget all that. He’s simply awesome, by any measure, right now. Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting:

Not even 76ers coach Brett Brown knew what he had in Ben Simmons.

Brown always envisioned Simmons as his point guard despite his 6-foot-10 stature after selecting him with the first overall pick of the 2016 draft. But …

“I didn’t realize that he was going to be as gifted athletically, immediately,” Brown said.

Simmons missed all of last season after breaking his right foot. Brown saw the 21-year-old’s athleticism during what amounted to a redshirt season at the team’s practice facility. But he didn’t know how it would translate in games.

“I see it clearly now,” the coach sad. “You wished and you hoped, but you didn’t know. … Now, I know.”

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Suns trade Eric Bledsoe to Bucks for Greg Monroe

The Phoenix Suns have completed a trade to acquire center/forward Greg Monroe, the rights to a future first-round pick and a 2018 protected second-round pick from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for guard Eric Bledsoe.

The Suns add Milwaukee’s future first-round pick to a collection of first-rounders that includes all of Phoenix’s own first-round selections, as well as Miami’s 2018 first-round pick (top-seven protected in 2018, unprotected in 2019) and Miami’s 2021 unprotected first-round pick.

Milwaukee’s first-round pick will convey to the Suns in 2018 if in the range of 11-16 overall, in 2019 if in the range of 4-16, in 2020 if in the range of 8-30 and in 2021 will be unprotected if it has not yet been conveyed. The Suns will receive Milwaukee’s second-round pick in 2018 if in the range of 48-60 overall.

“Eric is a dynamic player who brings scoring and toughness to the court while enhancing our young and talented core,” said Bucks General Manager Jon Horst. “We thank Greg for his professionalism, leadership and contribution on the court and in the community during his time in Milwaukee.”

Bledsoe, 27, is in his eighth season in the NBA and holds career averages of 13.1 points, 4.6 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game over 421 games (259 starts) with the Suns and the L.A. Clippers. He averaged more than 20.0 points and 6.0 assists per game in each of the last two seasons with the Suns, including career highs in points (21.1) and assists (6.3) per game during the 2016-17 season. Bledsoe spent the past five seasons (2013-17) with Phoenix and averaged 18.8 points, 6.0 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 33.6 minutes over 224 games (221 starts).

The Kentucky product was selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, but was traded on draft night to the Clippers where he spent the first three seasons of his career. Bledsoe averaged 6.7 points, 3.0 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 197 games (38 starts) with the Clippers.

Monroe, in his eighth NBA season, holds career averages of 14.0 points on 51.1 percent shooting, 8.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 543 games. Last season, his second with the Bucks, Monroe finished sixth in voting for NBA Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 11.7 points on 53.4 percent shooting and 6.6 rebounds with his 13 double-doubles ranking fourth in the league among reserves.

The 6-11, 265-pound post player was originally the seventh overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft by Detroit, playing his first five seasons with the Pistons before signing with the Bucks in July 2015. Named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2011, Monroe finished fifth in voting for Most Improved Player in 2011-12 as he began a run of five consecutive seasons in which he exceeded averages of 15 points and eight rebounds per game.

A native of New Orleans, Monroe starred collegiately for two seasons at Georgetown University prior to entering the NBA Draft. With the Hoyas, Monroe averaged 14.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists for his career, earning First Team All-Big East honors in 2010 and the Big East Rookie of the Year award in 2009.

The Suns’ roster remains at 17 players.

Klay Thompson aims to average one block per game

There is nothing ordinary about the Golden State Warriors. They’re loaded with talent, versatility, and have too many strengths to mention. We don’t usually hear guards talking about their blocks per game average, but Klay Thompson is no ordinary player. Here’s the San Francisco Chronicle reporting:

To stay fresh during the grind of an NBA season, Warriors guard Klay Thompson eyes a series of personal goals. Thompson revealed Monday after shoot-around that membership in the ultra-exclusive 50-40-90 club isn’t his only individual objective this season.

“I’m trying to average one block a game,” Thompson said. “For a shooting guard, that’d be really good.” Arguably one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, Thompson’s offensive prowess often overshadows the fact that he is an elite defender. His blend of stamina, size and unyielding will has made him a daunting on-ball matchup for everyone from LeBron James to Russell Westbrook. Now, 10 games into the season, Thompson is on pace to have a career-high 0.9 blocks per game.

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Luol Deng remains out of Lakers rotation

The Lakers have been in a rebuilding state, and both their present and future is built around youth. That leaves little use for veteran forward Luol Deng. For more, here’s ESPN.com:

When Los Angeles Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. broke a bone in his left hand last week, there was a brief possibility the team might replace him in the starting lineup with veteran power forward Luol Deng.

Instead the Lakers started rookie Kyle Kuzma, who proceeded to put up double-doubles in both his starts. Kuzma has played so well, he may never come out of the starting lineup — even when Nance is ready to return in 4-6 weeks.

Deng remained right where he has been for most of the season — on the inactive list, while the Lakers prioritize developing their younger players over getting value out of the man they signed to a four-year, $72 million contract in the summer of 2016.

“It definitely hurts,” Deng told ESPN on Monday after the Lakers’ practiced. “But the only answer for me now is to prove myself away from L.A. I’m not asked to play, I’m not in the rotation, so I can’t prove myself here.”

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Kristaps Porzingis having great season for Knicks

The Knicks have themselves their best young player in many years. Kristaps Porzingis has been awesome this season. Here’s NY Newsday reporting:

Porzingis scored a career-best 40 points in Sunday’s come-from-behind victory over Indiana, the Knicks’ fifth in six games. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 33.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.25 blocks, and leading the Knicks to a 3-1 mark.

He’s second in the league in scoring (30.2 points), third in blocks (2.2), first in usage rate (35.5) and fifth in Player Efficiency Rating (28.6). That metric measures a player’s effectiveness per minute. To put it in perspective, only Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Anthony Davis have higher PERs.

Porzingis’ 272 points are the most ever by a Knick through the team’s first nine games of a season. He’s making an early case for the three individual honors he craves as well as MVP, and has the upstart Knicks (5-4) playing inspired basketball and believing they can make an unexpected playoff run.

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And here’s the NY Daily News:

He is averaging over 30 points per game and the “M-V-P” chants are increasing in volume. Sunday night was probably the best performance of his career, and not just because of the points.

Porzingis also blocked six shots – including a crowd-rousing rejection on Lance Stephenson’s dunk attempt – and scored 15 consecutive Knick points in the fourth quarter. When the game appeared lost, Porzingis strapped on his cape and led the Knicks on a 34-11 run to close the comeback.

He was subbed out with 3.5 seconds remaining to a rousing ovation and even more “M-V-P” chants. The legend grows at the Garden.

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Marcin Gortat says Wizards must be humble

The Wizards are off to a 5-4 start this season. Which is okay, but the squad should play better. The return from injury of Markieff Morris should help matters. But there’s still improvement needed. Here’s the Washington Post reporting the comments of center Marcin Gortat:

On Sunday night, following a 107-96 road win over the Toronto Raptors, starting center Marcin Gortat advised that the team needs to bind its unfettered confidence.

“Just because we won this game today here, it doesn’t mean that everything is fine and we back on the right track. There’s a lot of things we’ve got to work on,” Gortat said. “First of all, we’ve got to become a more humble team and we just got to work harder.”

Gortat’s message: less talk and more action.

Despite Gortat’s supersized personality — the man once walked a pig on a leash through a shopping mall in Poland — as the graybeard among the Wizards, he tends to be more pragmatic. And when Gortat’s comments were shared with teammates, they agreed with the suggestion.

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Wild recent ride for Jarrett Jack

From possibly retiring to starting at point guard, it’s been an interesting recent ride for Jarrett Jack. Here’s the New York Daily News reporting:

There was a time, not too long ago, when Jarrett Jack thought his career was done. He had a torn ACL, a partially torn meniscus and, progressing into his mid-30s, the slow recovery wavered Jack’s confidence.

“The rehab was easy as far as putting in the work and doing the exercises. But the doubt of, ‘When I get back on the court, am I still going to be able to play? Am I doing this all for no reason?'” Jack told the Daily News. “Even when I do the exercises, man, it’s still not feeling the same. Wondering physically if you’ll ever get back and then after you do, mentally not allowing that to stop you.”

From the initial injury with the Brooklyn Nets, it was almost two years before Jack was back playing meaningful minutes. And now he’s doing it against all odds and expectations, emerging as the Knicks starting point guard despite being the only player on the roster without a guaranteed contract.

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Dion Waiters misses game due to birth of daughter

Heat guard Dion Waiters is out today, for a great, joyous reason. Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting:

Dion Waiters was away from the Miami Heat for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center for the birth of his daughter.

Waiters remained overnight in Denver after Friday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center and then returned Saturday to South Florida.

He then posted a photo Sunday on his Instagram feed holding the hand of his newborn daughter, Dior Raina Waiters, with the caption, “Welcome to this crazy world baby girl.”

Coach Erik Spoelstra said the specifics of missing the game against the Clippers was planned in advance.

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Pistons off to great start this season

The Pistons are off to a great start. Will it last? Too soon to tell. Their offense has been pretty good; their defense average. At the very least, Detroit looks like they should compete to make the playoffs. That’s a huge step in the right direction. They’re a team to watch these next few weeks as we determine just how real they are. For more, here’s Michigan Live reporting:

Playing on back-to-back nights against a reeling team on Saturday, the Detroit Pistons made too many mistakes defensively, went cold from the floor in the first half and let the Sacramento Kings hang around too long.

It was a game last season’s Pistons might have lost.

But this year’s Pistons have a kind of swagger about them, a renewed confidence and much resolve. It wasn’t their best game, but they did what they were supposed to do, grinding out a 108-99 victory at Little Caesars Arena.

At 7-3, this is the Pistons’ best 10-game start since 2008-09. They are 3-0 on the second night of back-to-backs (they were 3-14 last season) and have won the first two games of a five-game homestand.

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Hawks sign Tyler Cavanaugh to two-way contract

The Atlanta Hawks have signed Tyler Cavanaugh to a two-way contract.

Cavanaugh has played in one game this season for the Erie BayHawks, Atlanta’s G League affiliate, compiling 19 points, 11 rebounds, one block and one steal in 35 minutes (8-13 FGs, 3-5 3FGs). He was also a member of the Hawks’ Summer League team, competing in Las Vegas this past July. He originally signed with the Hawks on September 6, 2017, appeared in four preseason contests, and was waived on October 13, 2017.

He spent his first two college seasons at Wake Forest before transferring to George Washington. As a graduate student at GW last season, he appeared in 35 games (all starts), leading the team in points (18.3), rebounds (8.4), free throws made (173) and attempted (204) in 32.2 minutes (.448 FG%, .409 3FG%, .848 FT%). He was named to the A-10 All-Conference Second Team and the All-Academic Team. The 6’9 Cavanaugh started 38 games in 2015-16 and put in 16.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 30.4 minutes (.505 FG%, .417 3FG%, .827 FT%), leading the Colonials to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) title, earning Most Outstanding Player honors. He averaged 8.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 21.2 minutes in 33 games as a sophomore at Wake Forest, and tallied 5.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 16.7 minutes as a freshman in 31 contests. The Syracuse, NY native will wear No. 34.

The 2017-18 season marks the first year of two-way contracts in the NBA. Only players with four-or-fewer years of NBA experience are permitted to sign two-way contracts. Per league rules, teams are allowed to have up to two two-way players on their roster at any given time, in addition to their 15-man regular season roster. A two-way player for the Hawks will primarily play for the BayHawks but can spend up to 45 days with Atlanta, not including any time prior to the start of Erie’s training camp and at the conclusion of their season.