Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Nets sign Alize Johnson to second 10-day contract

The Brooklyn Nets yesterday signed forward Alize Johnson to a second 10-day contract.

Johnson (6’7”, 212) signed his first 10-day contract with Brooklyn on March 22 and recorded 23 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and two steals in 33 minutes in his lone appearance on March 24 at Utah. In 32 career games with the Nets and Indiana Pacers (2018-20), Johnson has posted averages of 2.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in 6.7 minutes per contest. Prior to signing with Brooklyn, he played 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 Pacers. 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.

Kevin Durant should return in near future for Nets

The Nets will likely have Kevin Durant, out with a leg injury, back in action in the near future. Via the New York Daily News:

Durant’s return is near, and the Nets hope the cautious approach will pay dividends in keeping him on the floor for their playoff and championship run. The team’s All-Star captain has missed the last 21 games with an injury he got in Oakland against the Golden State Warriors. He is the most critical piece to a championship jigsaw puzzle: A two-time Finals MVP averaging 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game, but has only appeared in 19 games this season.

“Him missing significant time, we miss him. We can’t wait for him to get back, literally,” Kyrie Irvng said. “But we’re all staying patient. We know what he brings to the table. We know the respect that he garners from all of us in terms of a leader on our team, but we’ve got to figure it out, game-to-game, until he’s back.”

The Nets are 33-15 this season, which is the best record in the Eastern conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2020-21 are Durant at 29.0 points per game in 19 games played, Irving at 28.2 ppg, and James Harden at 26.1 ppg.

Pacers sign forward Oshae Brissett to 10-day contract

The Indiana Pacers signed forward Oshae Brissett to a 10-day contract today.

A 6-7 forward in his second professional season out of Syracuse University, Brissett recently completed the 2021 G League season as a member of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers’ affiliate in the NBA G League. Brissett appeared in 19 games for the Toronto Raptors during his rookie season in 2019-20.

The Pacers are 21-25 this season, which is the 9th best record in the Eastern conference.

Jazz get through terrifying flight after plane strikes flock of birds

The Jazz had what sounds like a horribly miserable flying experience on Tuesday. Thankfully, they are okay. Via the Salt Lake Tribune:

As the Utah Jazz were taking off Tuesday afternoon to fly to Memphis for Wednesday night’s game, Jordan Clarkson was “being a bad kid” and getting up to grab something out of his bag.

Just as he was almost back to his seat, that’s when everyone heard — and felt — the boom.

Their chartered plane had struck a flock of birds, shredding the jet’s left engine and spawning a sense of helpless dread as many on board wondered if they were about to die.

“For a good 10, 15 minutes, I think all of us on that flight were questioning if we were going to be here today,” Mike Conley said in Wednesday’s postgame media session. “That’s how serious it was for us. I can’t speak for everybody, but I know that some guys were trying to text family, just in case. It was that kind of situation.”

Ugh. Here’s hoping they never have to go through something like that again.

Knicks lose Mitchell Robinson to major foot injury

The Knicks are having a solid season, and must continue without the services of talented center Mitchell Robinson, who is out after undergoing surgery on his recently broken right foot. Via New York Newsday:

The Knicks headed off to Minnesota Tuesday afternoon, still without any additional help as team president Leon Rose and his front office staff searched for assistance to fill the hole left by Mitchell Robinson’s second surgery in a six-week stretch.

But the season doesn’t wait for the search to conclude as the Knicks lost to the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden Monday and there is no break for the Knicks who have three more games in the next four days. So they must make do with what they have and while that means having Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson at center, the Knicks’ bigger need is for the pieces they have to perform at an optimal level.

And no one is more important to that than the player who has carried them through much of this season — Julius Randle.

While the Knicks have shown that they can survive without Robinson, managing a 9-6 record when he was sidelined with a fractured right hand. But now they are without him likely for the remainder of the regular season at best and to continue their playoff push need Randle to be at his best. But Randle wasn’t Monday, limited as he returned to action after sitting out the previous game with a right thigh contusion.

Raptors racking up losses in a tough season

The Raptors aren’t having the best of seasons, to put it mildly. Via the Toronto Sun:

Things are dire in Raptor-land. It’s going to take a miracle for them to get back into the middle of the conference and there have been no signs one is coming. They’re going to have to be excellent to even get to seventh or eight in the East (which would mean they’d only have to win one play-in game to qualify for the playoffs, instead of the 9-10 teams, which will have to win two). Long-term there’s no question it would be more beneficial to nab a Top-10 pick, preferably a Top-5 prospect in what’s believed to be a pretty good. And the veterans are battered and exhausted and could benefit from a lower-stress finish/rest down the stretch (although it’s hard to see Kyle Lowry agreeing to a shut-down or an ease-down, since he is reportedly trying to land a new two-year contract for significant money and needs to prove he is still elite and durable at 35. Fred VanVleet is third in minutes-per-game, and 13th in overall minutes despite missing some games while in the protocols. His foot scare against Detroit had to have sent shockwaves through the organization and maybe have them questioning what they’re doing here and how much sense it makes.

The Raptors are just 18-29 this season, which is the 11th best record in the Eastern conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2020-21 are Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakim each at 20.1 points per game, Kyle Lowry at 17.0 ppg, OG Anunoby at 14.7 ppg, and Chris Boucher off the bench at 13.4 ppg

They recently traded Norman Powell, who was the team’s third leading scorer at 19.6 ppg, for Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood.

Key 2021 NBA Draft dates announced

The NBA announced today that the 2021 NBA Draft will take place on Thursday, July 29, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

The first round will be televised by ESPN and ABC, and the second round will air on ESPN.

The NBA also announced additional key dates relating to the 2021 NBA Draft:

The 2021 NBA Draft Combine: Subject to evolving public health conditions, Microsoft Surface NBA Draft Combine 2021 is scheduled to take place Monday, June 21 through Sunday, June 27. ESPN networks plan to televise the NBA Draft Combine, with coverage featuring five-on-five games and strength and agility testing.

The 2021 NBA Draft Lottery will take place on Tuesday, June 22, airing on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The 2021 NBA Early Entry Application and Withdrawal Deadlines: The deadline for an early entry player to apply for this year’s NBA Draft is Sunday, May 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The deadline for an early entry player to withdraw from the NBA Draft is Monday, July 19 at 5 p.m. ET.

Spurs sign center Gorgui Dieng, who was recently waived by Grizzlies

The San Antonio Spurs have signed center Gorgui Dieng.

Dieng, 6-10/250, spent the first half of this season with the Memphis Grizzlies before being waived on March 26. In 22 games, he averaged 7.9 points, 4.5 rebounds in 1.3 assists in 16.9 minutes while shooting .519 from the field. Dieng appeared in 39 games over parts of two seasons in Memphis, averaging 7.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 17.7 minutes after he was acquired by the Grizzlies from the Minnesota Timberwolves on Feb. 6, 2020.

A nine-year NBA veteran, Dieng holds career averages of 7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 21.8 minutes in 537 total games played. Selected in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft (21st overall) by the Utah Jazz, he was dealt to the Timberwolves on draft night and spent his first six-plus seasons with Minnesota.

A native of Senegal, Dieng won the 2013 NCAA Championship in his final season as a junior at the University of Louisville.

Dieng will wear No. 7 for the Silver and Black.

The Spurs roster now stands at 17 players.

Lakers bulk up at center, sign Andre Drummond

The Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday signed center Andre Drummond, Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka announced.

“Andre Drummond gives us powerful, anchor-point skills on both ends of the court,” Pelinka said. “We feel extremely fortunate to add a player of his caliber and magnitude to our core group at this stage of our journey to defend the NBA title.”

Drummond appeared in 25 games (all starts) for Cleveland this season, averaging 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks in 28.9 minutes per game. In 624 games (573 starts) for the Cavaliers and Pistons, he has averaged 14.6 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks in 30.9 minutes. Drummond has played and started in eight career playoff games, tallying 15.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.4 blocks in 32.3 minutes.

Per the Los Angeles Times, “the Lakers aren’t adding George Mikan here, but they’re getting a good two-way center who has probably been undervalued over the last handful of seasons because he’s never played on a team with weapons like the Lakers have. At full strength, he’ll give them a dimension the Lakers haven’t had this season — a big man who can operate at and above the rim, making him an ideal partner for James and Dennis Schroder in pick-and-roll sets. And defensively, he’s an active player who blocks shots, gets steals and owns the glass — he’s led the league in rebounding five times and is averaging 13.5 this season.”

A two-time NBA All-Star, Drummond has led the league in rebounding four times and was named to the All-NBA Third Team following the 2015-16 season. Drummond is one of 20 players in league history to record more than 9,000 career points, 8,500 rebounds, 850 steals and 950 blocks. He is also the NBA’s all-time leader in seasons with at least 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 100 steals and 100 blocks, having accomplished the feat four times.

Nets get even stronger, sign LaMarcus Aldridge

The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent forward LaMarcus Aldridge.

Aldridge (6’11”, 265) has appeared in 1,024 career NBA games (980 starts) across 15 seasons with Portland (2006-15) and San Antonio (2015-21), averaging 19.4 points on 49.1 percent shooting from the field and 81.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 8.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 blocks in 34.2 minutes per contest.

Per the New York Post, “granted, the 35-year-old’s Aldridge’s defense has become something of a weakness the past few seasons, and he was bought out by the Spurs. But he overlapped with [Nets GM Sean] Marks, who was San Antonio’s assistant GM in 2015, when they signed the big man to a four-year, $80 million deal. Aldridge won’t make that with the Nets, and shouldn’t be viewed as having the same potential. But after the Nets signed [Blake] Griffin before the buyout market even started, the signing of Aldridge is just the latest example of their drawing power and ability to lure accomplished veterans serious about competing for a title.”

A seven-time NBA All-Star (2012-16, 2018-19), Aldridge most recently saw action in 21 contests (18 starts) for the Spurs this season, averaging 13.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 25.9 minutes per game. The Dallas native is a five-time All-NBA selection, taking home second-team honors twice (2015, 2018) and third-team honors on three occasions (2011, 2014, 2016). Among active NBA players, Aldridge currently ranks third in field goals made (8,034), fifth in rebounds (8,454), sixth in points (19,887), eighth in blocks (1,129) and ninth in games played (1,024). The 35-year-old, who helped lead San Antonio to the conference finals in the 2017 NBA Playoffs, has appeared in the postseason nine times in his career, averaging 20.8 points on 45.5 percent shooting from the field and 82.4 percent shooting from the free-throw line to go along with 8.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.4 blocks in 37.1 minutes per game in 72 total contests (all starts).

The second overall pick in the first round of the 2006 NBA Draft, Aldridge played collegiately at the University of Texas for two seasons (2004-06), appearing in 53 career games (all starts) for the Longhorns and averaging 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.8 blocks in 30.2 minutes per game. Following his final season in Austin, Aldridge was named First-Team All-Big 12 and the conference’s defensive player of the year.