Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Wizards will reportedly sign center Alex Len

The Wizards are in serious need of some help up front, and are set to do something about it. Via the Washington Post:

The Washington Wizards resolved at least one of their major headaches Friday and bolstered a thin frontcourt by reaching a deal with former Maryland center Alex Len.

Len, a 27-year-old whom Toronto released Tuesday, will sign a one-year minimum deal with the Wizards, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The 7-footer gives Washington much-needed depth at center after the team lost starter Thomas Bryant for the season after a partial ACL tear earlier this month.

The Wizards are just 3-8 this season and haven’t played since Monday, January 11 because of coronavirus contact tracing safety reasons.

Nets will be without Kevin Durant against Cavs tonight

The Nets won’t be at full strength tonight. Via the Sun Sentinel:

The second appearance of the Brooklyn Nets’ Big Three was put on hold Friday until the Miami Heat’s Saturday visit to Barclays Center.

As they continue to manage Kevin Durant’s recovery from the torn Achilles that kept him out last season, the Nets announced Friday that Durant would not play in Friday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Instead, Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden are expected to play for only the second time as a trio when the Heat open their two-game set against the Nets at 8 p.m. Saturday, a set that concludes Monday at Barclays Center.

The Cavs handed the Nets a loss in double overtime on Wednesday.

With Durant out, this gives everyone a chance to focus on how Harden and Irving play alongside each other. Which is actually the biggest thing to pay attention to on the Nets roster right now.

Hornets name Tamara Daniels as Senior Vice President and General Counsel

The Charlotte Hornets have named Tamara Daniels Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

Daniels, who will serve as a part of HSE’s executive leadership team and will advise and counsel across all areas within the organization, will begin her role with the franchise in February.

Daniels joins the Hornets after serving as Vice President & General Counsel of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights and the organization’s other properties: the Henderson Silver Knights, Henderson Event Center, Lifeguard Arena and City National Arena.

“We are very excited to have Tamara join our organization and be a part of our senior leadership team,” said HSE President & Vice Chairman Fred Whitfield. “Tamara is a talented and experienced executive who brings a wealth of knowledge in the sports and entertainment industry that will greatly benefit all areas of our organization. I’d like to welcome Tamara, her husband, Jordan, and their family to Charlotte.”

“I am thrilled to join HSE as General Counsel and look forward to contributing to the ongoing success of the team’s business units,” said Daniels. “The Hornets have a stellar reputation for their commitment to the community and their team members. The newly launched Social Justice Platform is just one example of the franchise’s dedication to crucial initiatives beyond the game that gets me excited. While I will be forever grateful to Bill Foley and the Foley family for the time I spent with the Vegas Golden Knights and its affiliates, joining the Hornets presents an incredible opportunity for me and my husband. We cannot wait to start this new chapter of our lives in Charlotte.”

Grizzlies games scheduled for January 22, 24 and 25 are postponed

The Memphis Grizzlies’ next three games — Friday, Jan. 22 at Portland and Sunday, Jan. 24 and Monday, Jan. 25 vs. Sacramento — have been postponed in accordance with the NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols.

The games are being postponed due to unavailable players for the Grizzlies and contact tracing for other players on their roster, and in order to ensure the health and safety of players on both teams.

Wizards vs. Bucks game scheduled for January 22, 2021 is postponed

The NBA game scheduled for Friday, January 22, 2021 between the Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum has been postponed in accordance with the league’s Health and Safety Protocols.

The game is being postponed due to the number of unavailable players for the Wizards, contact tracing for other players on their roster, and the length of time preceding the game during which the team was unable to practice.

Pistons rookie Killian Hayes will miss extended time with hip injury

Evaluation on Detroit Pistons rookie guard Killian Hayes’ right hip injury led by Head Team Physician Dr. Bill Motzouros in consultation with Dr. Bryan Kelly in New York and Dr. James Roseneck in Cleveland indicates the origin as a subluxation that will be treated with rest and rehabilitation.

Hayes will be re-evaluated in eight weeks and further updates will be provided as appropriate.

According to the Detroit Free Press, “Hayes, the Pistons’ seventh overall draft pick last fall, suffered the injury Jan. 4, during a road game against the Milwaukee Bucks. He fell to the ground while trying to make a defensive play in transition and immediately was in pain, grabbing at his hip.”

Kings center Hassan Whiteside day-to-day with hip flexor strain

Sacramento Kings center Hassan Whiteside underwent an MRI in Sacramento on Monday afternoon which confirmed a left hip flexor strain.

Whiteside’s status is considered day-to-day.

Whiteside is averaging 6.4 points (.523 FG%, .500 FT%), 4.2 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 0.6 assists, 0.2 steals, and 12.7 minutes per game through nine games (no starts) for the Kings during the 2020-21 season.

Serge Ibaka set to return for Clippers

The Clippers are getting Serge Ibaka back in action. Here’s head coach Tyronn Lue discussing it, via the OC Register:

Lue said he expects Ibaka back in the lineup on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings. The veteran 7-footer missed his first game as a Clipper on Sunday when an illness unrelated to the coronavirus kept him out of the Clippers’ 129-96 victory over Indiana.

Starring sixth man Lou Williams, however, might need more time before he returns from the sore hip that’s been bothering him.

“He’s gonna do a little bit today in practice, see how he feels,” Lue said.

The Clippers are 10-4 this season, right behind the Lakers atop the Western conference. The team has two clear leaders so far: Paul George, averaging 24.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game, and Kawhi Leonard, who is putting up 24.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per outing.

Pacers center Myles Turner day-to-day with small fracture in hand

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner has an avulsion fracture in his right hand and is listed as day-to-day. The injury is stable and will not require surgery.

Turner is having a very good season, and is leading the NBA with 4.2 blocks per game.

The Pacers are 8-5 so far this season. They are being led in scoring by Malcolm Brogdon at 22.2 points per game, Domantas Sabonis at 21.7 ppg and T.J. Warren at 15.5 ppg. They recently traded Victor Oladipo in a four-team trade that brought back Caris LeVert, but an exam of LeVert revealed a growth on his kidney, a health concern that will keep LeVert out of action indefinitely.

G League: Westchester Knicks hire Jaren Jackson Sr., promote Ryan Borges

The Westchester Knicks, the official NBA G League affiliate of the New York Knicks, announced the hiring of Jaren Jackson Sr. as an assistant coach and the promotion of Ryan Borges to Assistant General Manager.

Jackson Sr. joins second-year head coach Derrick Alston’s ranks with a 13-year professional playing career under his belt and 18 years’ worth of coaching experience.

His professional career spanned from 1989-2002, highlighted by a 1998-99 NBA World Championship won with the San Antonio Spurs under esteemed head coach, Gregg Popovich. Jackson Sr. has also played on eight other NBA teams, four Continental Basketball Association (CBA) teams, a World Basketball League (WBL) team, and a European Basketball League (FIBA-France) team.

A former Georgetown letterwinner, Jackson Sr.’s coaching resume commences at his alma mater, includes head coaching stints in the CBA, NBLC and the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G League (2008-10) and opportunities at the NBPA Top 100 Camp and NBA Assistant Coaches Program. For the last five years, Jackson Sr. has been an on-air talent serving as the Mad Ants’ Color Analyst.

Borges was elevated to Assistant General Manager of the Westchester Knicks-the first position of its kind. Having been with The Madison Square Garden Company since 2014, Borges’ journey in the Mecca started as the New York Knicks Basketball Operations Student Associate prior to ascension as the Westchester Knicks Manager of Basketball Operations.

As Manager, Borges has been an integral part of Westchester’s scouting, trading acquisitions, and logistical needs, including travel, of coaching staff, front office and players. Serving as the main conduit between basketball and business operations, Borges has been instrumental in the managing of housing and lodging of the players and visiting teams on their organization’s behalf, and off-court player development.

Westchester returns Allen Deep as Assistant Coach, Yen Pham as Athletic Trainer and Mike Atkinson as Strength and Conditioning Coach and adds Joel Garcia as Video Coordinator.

For its seventh season, the Knicks will be one of 17 NBA G League teams to participate at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando beginning next month.