Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Steve Kerr pleasantly surprised by NBA coaching list honor

Here’s the Bay Area News Group, via the San Jose Mercury News, on Warriors head coach Steve Kerr being pleasantly surprised by an NBA coaching list honor:

When the NBA’s list of the top 15 coaches of all time was released Tuesday, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said it was “shocking” to see his name on it.

Kerr, who has won three championships and taken his team to the Finals five times in eight seasons with Golden State, was one of four active coaches to earn the honor, which was decided by a voting panel of all 30 current head coaches and 13 more former head men.

“I didn’t anticipate that,” Kerr said Wednesday before tipoff against the Utah Jazz. “It was very humbling and an incredible honor to see my name on that list. But I also know it’s a direct result of having incredible talent on our roster. If you look at that list, pretty much every coach would agree the reason they’re on there is because they were blessed with great talent and then were able to have success.”

With eight seasons under his belt, Kerr is the most junior of all of the coaches on the list, but his .696 winning percentage is second only to Phil Jackson and his three NBA championships are more than all but four others: Jackson (11), Red Auerbach (9), Pat Riley (5), Gregg Popovich (5).

Kerr’s success has continued this season, as the Warriors are only behind the Phoenix Suns in overall league standings.

Raptors now on a 7-game winning streak

Here’s the Toronto Star on the red-hot Raptors who tonight won their 7th game in a row:

The Raptors love to hunt mismatches with their egalitarian offence — because they have a handful of big, strong wings who can exploit them — and they were operating at near top efficiency for a large part of their outing Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.

If Pascal Siakam wasn’t bullying the slender Aleksej Pokuševski, OG Anunoby was toying with teenage Josh Giddey, and Scottie Barnes bullied his way through Tre Mann a time or two as Toronto stretched its win streak to a season-high seven games with a 117-98 victory over the Thunder.

“I think they continue to move it around and exploit what’s there,” Nick Nurse said after the game. “(I’m) pretty happy with the drawing of multiple defenders and then just taking what’s there. Those five (starters) just continue to find each other and … (there) seems to be a pretty even (shot) distribution going on now, which is good.”

Three-team NBA trade sends Joe Ingles to Trail Blazers, Nickeil Alexander-Walker to Jazz

The Utah Jazz have acquired guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Portland Trail Blazers and forward Juancho Hernangomez from the San Antonio Spurs in a three-team trade, sending Portland forward Joe Ingles, guard/forward Elijah Hughes and a future second-round draft pick. The Spurs received guard Tomas Satoransky from Portland and a future second-round draft pick from the Jazz.

Ingles, 34, averaged 7.2 points (40.4% FG, 34.7% 3-PT, 77.3%), 2.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 45 games (15 starts) for the Jazz this season. A veteran forward in his eighth NBA season, Ingles played professionally in his home country of Australia as well as Spain and Israel prior to signing with Utah in 2014. Ingles (6-8, 220) holds career averages of 8.6 points (44.9% FG, 40.8% 3-PT, 76.8% FT), 3.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 0.92 steals in 590 career games (313 starts) for the Jazz. The runner-up for the 2020-21 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, Ingles suffered a torn left ACL on January 30.

Hughes, 23, is averaging career-highs of 3.1 points (41.7% FG, 35.7% 3-PT, 100% FT), 1.2 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 14 games (one start) for the Jazz this season. The second-year guard out of Syracuse was selected with the 39th pick in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. The New York-native holds career averages of 2.3 points (37.9% FG, 35.3% 3-PT, 85.7% FT), 0.8 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 32 career games (one start).

Alexander-Walker (6-5, 205, Virginia Tech) is in his third NBA season, averaging 12.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists (all career-highs) in 26.3 minutes per contest. He’s totaled six games with 20-or-more points, two games with 30-plus points and two double-doubles during the 2021-22 season.

For his career, Alexander-Walker has played in 143 games (33 starts), all for the New Orleans Pelicans, with career averages of 9.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 20.4 minutes per game. The Toronto, Ontario, Canada-native was originally drafted in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft (17th overall) by Brooklyn (traded to New Orleans on draft night).

Hernangomez (6-9, 215, Spain) is in his sixth NBA season, appearing in 23 games in 2021-22 with Boston and San Antonio. For his career, he owns averages of 5.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in 280 games (57 starts) with Denver (2016-20), Minnesota (2019-21), Boston and San Antonio (2021-22). He was originally drafted by Denver in the first round (15th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft).

The 26-year-old has additional professional playing experience in Spain where he began his career with Estudiantes of the ACB in 2013-14. He spent three seasons with Estudiantes (2013-16), and in his final season with the club, averaged 9.7 points on 45.5 percent from the field and 5.7 rebounds in 23.7 minutes per contest.

Nuggets reportedly looking to add a perimeter defender

Here’s the Denver Post on what the Nuggets might be looking to accomplish in the next day:

The Nuggets are actively in search of a perimeter defender ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, sources told The Denver Post.

The major obstacle they’ve run into has been their available trade chips and, specifically, the aggregate contracts they’d use to acquire such a defender, one source said. The goal, with next season in mind as well, has always been to land a player who wouldn’t be just a rental.

The Nuggets are 30-24 this season, which is the sixth best record in the Western conference.

Heat trade KZ Okpala to Thunder, who waive Mamadi Diakite

The Oklahoma City Thunder have traded for forward KZ Okpala and will receive amendments on the conditions of a previously traded draft pick from the Miami Heat in exchange for the least favorable of its 2026 second-round draft picks.

In a related move, the Thunder has released forward Mamadi Diakite.

Okpala (6-8, 215) has appeared in 21 games this season and is averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per game. He has played in 63 games (nine starts) over three seasons with the Heat and holds career averages of 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per game.

The Thunder and Heat will amend the 2023 first-round pick the Heat had previously owed the Thunder, whereas two years of protections will be eliminated, and that pick will now be owed to the Thunder starting in 2025 (1-14 protected) and then will convey as unprotected in 2026.

NBA trade sends CJ McCollum from Trail Blazers to Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans have acquired CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr., and Tony Snell in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers.

In exchange, New Orleans sent Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Josh Hart, Didi Louzada, Tomáš Satoranský, a protected 2022 first round draft pick, and two future second round draft picks to the Blazers.

“On behalf of the Trail Blazers organization, I want to thank CJ McCollum for the integral role he has played in the success of the franchise over the last nine seasons and for his countless acts of service to the Portland community,” said Trail Blazers Interim General Manager Joe Cronin. “CJ has cemented himself in Trail Blazers history with his elite skill level and memorable moments on the court as well as with the work ethic, professionalism and generosity he displays behind the scenes.”

“I also want to thank Larry Nance Jr., Tony Snell and Cody Zeller for their contributions to the organization and community this season,” Cronin continued. “We wish all four players success moving forward.”

McCollum, 6-3, 190, has appeared in 36 games (all starts) for Portland this season, averaging 20.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 35.2 minutes per game while shooting .436 from the field and .384 from deep. Drafted tenth overall by Portland in the 2013 NBA Draft out of Lehigh, the nine-year NBA veteran has appeared in 564 career games (467 starts) with the Blazers, averaging 19.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 31.5 minutes per game while shooting .453 from the field and .396 from deep. McCollum has also appeared in 57 career playoff games (47 starts) throughout his career, averaging 20.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 35.1 minutes per contest.

Nance Jr., 6-7, 245, has appeared in 37 games (11 starts) for Portland this season, averaging 6.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 23.2 minutes per game. Drafted 27th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft out of Wyoming, Nance Jr. has appeared in 387 career games (134 starts) with Portland, Cleveland, and the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 8.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 24.1 minutes per game.

Snell, 6-6, 213, has appeared in 38 games (10 starts) for Portland this season, averaging 2.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game. Drafted 20th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft out of New Mexico, Snell has appeared in 586 career games (308 starts) with Portland, Atlanta, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Chicago, averaging 6.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 21.9 minutes per game. Snell has also appeared in 47 career playoff games (8 starts) throughout his career, averaging 2.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per contest.

Alexander-Walker, 6-5, 205, whose draft rights were originally acquired by the Pelicans from the Atlanta Hawks via trade on July 7, 2019, has appeared in 50 games (19 starts) for the Pelicans this season, averaging 12.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 26.3 minutes per game. In three seasons with New Orleans, Alexander-Walker appeared in 143 games (33 starts), averaging 9.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 20.4 minutes per game.

Hart, 6-5, 215, who was originally acquired by the Pelicans from the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team trade on July 6, 2019, appeared in 41 games (40 starts) for New Orleans this season, averaging 13.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 33.5 minutes per game. Hart has appeared in 283 career games (105 starts) with New Orleans and the Los Angeles Lakers, holding averages of 9.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 27.0 minutes per game.

Louzada, 6-5, 210, whose draft rights were originally acquired by the Pelicans from the Atlanta Hawks via trade on July 7, 2019, appeared in five games off the bench for the Pelicans over the last two seasons, averaging 1.6 points and 1.0 rebound in 12.6 minutes per game.

Satoranský, 6-7, 210, who was originally acquired by New Orleans from the Chicago Bulls on August 8, 2021, appeared in 32 games (three starts) for the Pelicans this season, averaging 2.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 15.0 minutes per game. Satoranský has appeared in 365 career games (172 starts) over six seasons with New Orleans, Chicago, and Washington, averaging 7.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 22.4 minutes per game.

NBA trade sends Domantas Sabonis to Kings, Tyrese Haliburton to Pacers

The Sacramento Kings announced today that the team has acquired forward-center Domantas Sabonis, forward Justin Holiday, guard Jeremy Lamb and a 2023 second-round draft selection from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson.

“We are ecstatic to welcome Domantas, Justin and Jeremy to our Sacramento Kings family,” said Kings General Manager Monte McNair. “This was a unique opportunity to acquire a two-time All-Star and two veteran wings, all whom will help us, as we continue to build here in Sacramento. We would also like to thank Tyrese, Buddy and Tristan for their contributions to the Kings and wish them well moving forward.”

During the 2021-22 campaign, Sabonis is averaging 18.9 points (.580 FG%, .324 3pt%, .740 FT%), 12.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 34.7 minutes per game in 47 games (46 starts). A former 11th overall selection in the 2016 draft by the Orlando Magic, Sabonis currently ranks third in the NBA in double-doubles with 34 and sixth in triple-doubles with five, while ranking fourth in the Association in rebounds per game and fifth in field goal percentage.

The Gonzaga product has garnered career averages of 14.2 points (.533 FG%, .322 3pt%, .727 FT%), 9.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 28.3 minutes per game in 400 games (260 starts) with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2016-17) and Indiana Pacers (2017-22).

Holiday brings eight years of experience to Sacramento holding career averages of 8.7 points (.401 FG%, .366 3pt%, .821 FT%), 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 551 games (260 starts) with the Philadelphia 76ers (2012-13), Golden State Warriors (2014-15), Atlanta Hawks (2015-16), Chicago Bulls (2015-16, 2017-18), New York Knicks (2016-17), Memphis Grizzlies (2018-19) and Indiana (2019-22).

In his tenth season from Connecticut, Lamb has accrued career averages of 10.2 points (.440 FG%, .344 3pt%, .857 FT%), 3.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.7 steals and 20.8 minutes per game in 556 contests (136 starts) for three teams: Oklahoma City (2012-15), Charlotte (2015-19) and Indiana (2019-22).

2022 NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest participants

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony, Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green, New York Knicks forward Obi Toppin and Golden State Warriors forward Juan Toscano-Anderson will take flight in the 2022 NBA Slam Dunk contest on Saturday, Feb. 19 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. A first-time champion will be crowned as Anthony, Green and Toscano-Anderson are set to make their event debuts, and Toppin returns for his second appearance after finishing as the runner-up last year.

2022 NBA All-Star Weekend: 3-Point Contest participants

NBA All-Stars Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls, Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Fred VanVleet of the Toronto Raptors and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks headline the 2022 NBA 3-Point Contest, which will take place on Saturday, Feb. 19 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.

The eight-player field for the two-round, timed shooting competition also features guard CJ McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers (though he will reportedly soon be traded to the New Orleans Pelicans), guard Desmond Bane of the Memphis Grizzlies, guard Luke Kennard of the LA Clippers and guard Patty Mills of the Brooklyn Nets.

Wizards guard Bradley Beal will undergo season-ending wrist surgery

Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal will undergo surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament of his left wrist and will miss the remainder of the regular season.

The decision to proceed with the surgery was mutually agreed upon by the team, Beal and his representation after a re-evaluation today by Hand Specialist Dr. Michele Carlson of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and the Wizards medical team.

“Despite the last 10 days of getting intensive treatment and rehab on my wrist, it became clear that I would not be able to compete to my standards or to the level that our team and our fans deserve,” said Beal. “I’m disappointed to have my season end this way, but we all agreed that this was the best decision. I look forward to coming back at 100% and continuing to lead this team as we work together to build toward the future.”

Per the Washington Times, “now, Beal will focus on rehab in the coming months. But he‘ll have a gigantic decision to make this summer as the three-time All-Star can opt out of his contract to reach free agency. The Wizards can offer Beal a five-year contract worth $241 million, though there’s no guarantee that Beal would accept. Beal has long said he wants to stay in Washington, but a recent report from The Athletic indicated that the 28-year-old “remains uncertain” whether the Wizards’ front office can surround him with enough talent to seriously compete in the long run.”

The injury, which Beal suffered at the 7:47 mark of the third quarter at Memphis on January 29, was originally revealed following examination and testing by Wizards Head Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. William Postma and Hand Specialist Dr. Curtis Henn of MedStar Health in conjunction with Dr. Carlson and Monumental Basketball Chief of Athlete Care & Performance Dr. Daniel Medina.

The three-time All-Star averaged 23.2 points, a career-high 6.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 40 games this season.