Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Will the Pistons trade Jerami Grant?

Will the Pistons trade forward Jerami Grant? Here’s the Detroit Free Press on it:

The NBA trade deadline is nearly two weeks away and the rumor mill ahead of Feb. 10 is heating up. (Ah, if only it could thaw the winter freeze here in Michigan…)

The prevailing theory is the Pistons might accept a young player and first-round pick for Grant, but will anyone meet that requirement? How flexible are the Pistons with their price? And how flexible is Grant in taking a lesser role on a better team? So far, reports are that’s not what he wants, which would dwindle his market and hurt the Pistons’ leverage…

In a bold move, Grant and his representatives have reportedly shown the Pistons a list of teams he would prefer to be traded to if dealt. He will be eligible for a contract extension this summer and can get up to $112 million over four years — $28 million per year. He signed a three-year deal worth $60 million with the Pistons in 2020.

The Pistons are 11-35 this season and in a rebuilding situation. Whatever moves they make are with the future, not present, in mind.

Anthony Davis set to return for Lakers

The Lakers are about to receive a big boost. Via the Orange County Register:

After the week the Lakers had, they need good news.

It came on Monday afternoon, when Anthony Davis was upgraded to probable for Tuesday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. It now appears likely that the 28-year-old All-Star big man will return from a 17-game absence from a sprained MCL in his left knee, which could help lift the eighth-place Lakers (23-24) back into the upper half of the Western Conference standings.

The Lakers are cautiously optimistic, waiting to see how Davis feels on Tuesday before tip-off, but having him back would be a huge lift…

The Lakers have struggled to a 7-10 record without Davis, who was averaging 23.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2 blocked shots per game when he was hurt in Minnesota back on Dec. 17. His return is going to significantly change the Lakers’ style and rotations.

Pacers sign Lance Stephenson to second 10-day contract

The Indiana Pacers today announced that they have signed guard Lance Stephenson to a second 10-day contract.

The Pacers previously signed Stephenson to a 10-day contract on January 14.

The Pacers are 17-30 this season, which is the 13th best record in the Eastern conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2021-22 are Domantas Sabonis at 19.0 ppg, Malcolm Brogdon at 18.5 ppg, and Caris LeVert at 18.4 ppg.

Bucks’ Grayson Allen suspended for flagrant foul on Bulls’ Alex Caruso

Milwaukee Bucks guard Grayson Allen has been suspended one game without pay for having made unnecessary and excessive contact against Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, resulting in substantial injury to Caruso, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.

The incident, for which Allen was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 5:45 remaining in the third quarter of the Bucks’ 94-90 win over the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 21 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

Allen will serve his suspension on Wednesday, Jan. 26 when the Bucks face the Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, OH.

In G League, Long Island Nets add Thon Maker

The Long Island Nets, the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, have acquired center Thon Maker from the available player pool. In a related move, Long Island requested waivers on forward Chris Walker.

Maker (7’0”, 221) has appeared in 263 career NBA games (65 starts) across five seasons with Milwaukee (2016-19), Detroit (2018-20) and Cleveland (2020-21), recording averages of 4.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 13.8 minutes per game. Most recently, he spent the 2021-22 season overseas in the Israeli Basketball Premier League with Hapoel Jerusalem Basketball Club, where he averaged 3.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per contest over six games. The South Sudan native was selected by Milwaukee with the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft. He earned Gatorade Virginia Boys Basketball Player of the Year honors after his sophomore season in high school at Carlisle School in Martinsville, Va., before transferring to Athlete Institute in Ontario, Canada.

Walker was selected by Long Island with the 20th pick in the second round of the 2021 NBA G League Draft. In 11 games with the Nets this season, Walker averaged 1.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 6.5 minutes per contest.

Pelicans guard Didi Louzada suffers knee injury

New Orleans Pelicans guard Didi Louzada has been diagnosed with a torn medial meniscus in his left knee.

The injury occurred during the second quarter of the G League Birmingham Squadron’s game against the South Bay Lakers on Friday, January 21.

A date for surgery has not yet been determined.

Louzada will be out indefinitely and his return-to-play status will be updated appropriately.

Detroit Pistons sign Cassius Stanley to third 10-day contract

The Detroit Pistons have signed Cassius Stanley to a third 10-day contract using the COVID-related hardship allowance.

Stanley, 6-5, 190, signed his original 10-day contract with the Pistons on Dec. 25 and his second 10-day contract on January 8. He’s averaged 6.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in 20.3 minutes in seven games (one start) with Detroit.

Stanley has appeared in 13 games (two starts) this season with the Motor City Cruise, the NBA G League affiliate of the Detroit Pistons, and is averaging 11.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 24.4 minutes per game.

Stanley has one year of prior NBA experience with the Indiana Pacers (2020-21), posting clips of 1.5 points and 0.8 rebounds in 3.9 minutes over 24 games. The Los Angeles native played one year at Duke University and was the 54th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

He will wear No. 14 for the Pistons.

Denver Nuggets sign DeMarcus Cousins to 10-day contract

The Denver Nuggets have signed center DeMarcus Cousins to a 10-day contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Cousins, 6-10, 270, has appeared in 17 games (five starts) for the Milwaukee Bucks this season, averaging 9.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists while shooting 46.6% from the field in 16.9 minutes per game. Cousins scored 10+ points in six games and posted two double-doubles in his stint with Milwaukee.

The 10-year NBA veteran has played in 623 career games (559 starts) with Sacramento, New Orleans, Golden State, Houston, Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee, holding career averages of 20.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks in 30.6 minutes per game. Cousins has reached the playoffs twice, in 2019 and 2021, appearing in 15 games (five starts), averaging 7.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 12.7 minutes.

The fifth overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft, Cousins was selected to four all-star games as a member of the Sacramento Kings (2015-17) and New Orleans Pelicans (2018). He was also named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2015 and 2016 and he was a gold medal winner for the United States in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, as well as the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Cousins will wear #4 for the Nuggets.

Miami Heat re-sign Chris Silva to 10-day contract

The Miami Heat have re-signed forward Chris Silva to a 10-day contract using the COVID-Related Hardship Allowance.

Silva, who was recently signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on December 31 and to a second 10-day contract on January 10, has appeared in seven games with Miami this season averaging 3.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 9.0 minutes of action while shooting 61.5 percent from the field and 80 percent from the foul line. Earlier this season he appeared in one game with the Minnesota Timberwolves and 12 G League games with the Iowa Wolves where he averaged 15.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.00 steals and 26.1 minutes while shooting 57.3 percent from the field, leading the team in blocks and free throws made while finishing second in rebounds and field goals made.