Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Gabe Vincent wins 2019-20 G League Most Improved Player award

Sioux Falls Skyforce guard Gabe Vincent yesterday won the 2019-20 NBA G League Most Improved Player award. The winner is decided in a vote by the G Legaue’s 28 head coaches and general managers.

In his second G League season, Vincent (6-foot-3, 200 pounds, UC Santa Barbara) put up 20.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in 31 outings. He hit a G League-leading 4.2 three-pointers per game, and shot 40.3 percent from three-point range.

Vincent’s first 20 games of this G League season were played as a member of the Stockton Kings. His final 11 games with the Skyforce, who are the G League affiliate of the Miami Heat, who signed Vincent to a two-way contract on January 8, 2020. He played in six NBA games for the Heat this season.

In the G League, Vincent scored at least 30 points six times this season. Three of those performances came in December, when he averaged 24.9 points and shot 49.1 percent from the field with Stockton. He scored a career-high 35 points against the South Bay Lakers on Dec. 17 and matched that total against the Canton Charge on Dec. 21, making nine three-pointers in each game.

The Skyforce started the season 10-13 before adding Vincent to its roster. Sioux Falls went 9-2 with him in the lineup and finished 22-20 overall. The NBA G League canceled the remainder of its 2019-20 season on June 4. The regular season was suspended on March 12 and had been scheduled to conclude on March 28.

Vincent spent the entire 2018-19 NBA G League season with Stockton. He averaged 8.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 24 games.

Raptors 905 guard Paul Watson and Santa Cruz Warriors guard Mychal Mulder finished second and third, respectively, in voting for the 2019-20 NBA G League Most Improved Player Award.

Wizards forward Davis Bertans reportedly will not rejoin Wizards in Disney quarantine bubble

As the NBA attempts to restart play in late July at the single-site location of Disney Wide World of Sports in Orlando, individual players must decide if they want to be involved. Presumably, most do want to play — or else the Players Union likely would have stated so by now. But certainly some players on the 22 teams the NBA is including in their return-to-play plan, for various reasons, may not want to participate. Here’s the Washington Post reporting:

Washington Wizards forward Davis Bertans, the team’s best three-point shooter and its prized upcoming free agent, will not play in Orlando when the NBA season resumes July 30.

Bertans has opted to end his season after the long hiatus from playing, according to several people with knowledge of his plans.

Bertans, who has not practiced for months since the NBA shut down in mid-March amid the coronavirus pandemic, felt that attempting to come back and play would “not be the smartest thing to do,” according to a person familiar with his mind-set. Bertans, 27, is expected to be one of the top players in the upcoming free agent class and is the Wizards’ highest priority to re-sign.

We’re now already in late June, which means if other players don’t plan to participate, chances are their wishes will become public very soon, likely in the next few days.

New date for 2020 NBA draft reportedly may be October 16

Here’s the New York Post tracking the latest reports regarding the rescheduled NBA draft:

NBA prospects now have a date they can attach to their dreams, but it will entail waiting nearly four more months for that memorable evening.

The 2020 NBA Draft will be held Oct. 16, according to multiple reports, four months after it was originally scheduled.

The cutoff date for early entries will be Aug. 17 – though the date for college players to withdraw from the draft is Aug. 3…

International and non-college players have until Oct. 6 to withdraw from the draft.

The NBA hopes to resume play in late July, using Disney Wide World of Sports as their single-site location. Right now, their competitive plan regarding the structure of the remaining games and playoffs is set, but nothing else is official yet.

It seems likely that once the new 2020 draft date gets set in stone, it won’t change. Because it can be done remotely, with all parties operating from their homes if needed. And the draft does have to happen — presumably.

No matter what happens with coronavirus cases in sports or the world, the league can stick with the rescheduled draft date should they decide they must. So our guess is, once the league makes the draft’s new date official, they’ll probably stick with it.

Klay Thompson recovering from injury, now reportedly training without restriction

Warriors guard Klay Thompson’s comeback from injury continues. Here’s NBC Sports Bay Area reporting:

Klay Thompson has reached the next phase of his return.

The Warriors star guard has been training without restriction on his knee and has been ramping up workouts over the past few weeks, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported Friday, citing sources.

Per Slater, Thompson’s knee was medically cleared a few weeks ago and he has been running, jumping, dunking and doing everything he’s permitted to do during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. He’s been going through his diligent shooting workouts but has yet to return to the Warriors’ San Francisco facility since it reopened. Thompson instead has been working out in Los Angeles and in Oakland.

The Warriors’ season, which Thompson compeletely missed, is over. With a 15-50 record, they were one of the eight teams the NBA did not include in its plans to resume the season this summer.

Nuggets staff partake in Juneteenth march

This year, Juneteenth is finally getting the increased attention that it clearly deserves.

Here’s the Denver Post with an off-court Nuggets report:

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, assistant general manager Calvin Booth and other team staffers took part in a silent Juneteenth march through Denver on Friday.

The holiday commemorates the day — June 19th 1865 — when the last enslaved African Americans in the U.S. learned of their freedom.

For the first time, the NBA is joining the commemoration by treating it as a holiday and granting all league office employees paid time off. Kroenke Sports and Entertainment treated it as a holiday as well, and Malone encouraged members of the organization to participate.

New Detroit Pistons general manager is Troy Weaver

The Detroit Pistons hired Troy Weaver as their new General Manager today.

“Troy is an outstanding executive with an exceptional track record for identifying and developing talent,” said Pistons owner Tom Gores. “In talking with Troy, he’s got both the skill and temperament to lead, and the confidence and creativity to work collaboratively with others. We’re excited for him to take the reins as General Manager of the Pistons at this important moment. Ed and the team have done excellent work creating flexibility with our roster and establishing a clear direction. Troy comes aboard to help take us to the next level.”

Weaver, 52, joins the Pistons after spending the past 12 seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC), including the last three-plus years as the club’s Vice President of Basketball Operations. Previously, he served eight seasons as Vice President/Assistant General Manager with responsibilities that included coordinating player-personnel matters, NBA Draft preparation, free agency planning and summer league roster construction.

Per the Detroit Free Press, “Weaver’s reputation for spotting talent in the NBA draft and facilitating an environment to help young players develop stands out. The Pistons will potentially have a top-five draft pick and more than $30 million in cap space, so Weaver will have ample opportunity to reshape the roster this offseason.”

“It’s an honor for me to join a franchise with the history and tradition of the Detroit Pistons,” said Weaver. “I’m excited for the challenge of building this team into a consistent winner and assembling the pieces to compete at a very high level. We’ll get to work right away, evaluating opportunities and installing systems that will make us all successful.”

And per the Detroit News, “Weaver is regarded for his decisions in player personnel, which starting in his first season with the Thunder in 2008, as he pushed for drafting Russell Westbrook with the No. 4 pick in the 2008 draft. At the time, Westbrook wasn’t projected as an elite NBA prospect, but Weaver identified him as a breakout star.”

Ed Stefanski, Senior Advisor to Tom Gores, noted that Weaver’s experience over multiple years in Oklahoma City and around the NBA make him a great fit to help move the Pistons franchise forward.

“Troy’s basketball knowledge and experience will help this organization in all facets of strategic planning and roster development this coming season and beyond,” said Stefanski. “He has a good eye for talent, is a great communicator and is team oriented. I look forward to working with him as we focus on achieving our collective goals.”

Red Claws guard Tremont Waters wins 2019-20 G League Rookie of Year award

Maine Red Claws guard Tremont Waters has been named the 2019-20 NBA G League Rookie of the Year, the G League announced today. The award, voted on by the league’s 28 head coaches and general managers, recognizes the first-year professional who most significantly contributed to his team’s success during the season.

Waters (5-10, 175, LSU), a two-way player with the Boston Celtics, averaged 18.0 points, 7.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.89 steals in 36 games for Maine. He ranked sixth in the NBA G League in assists per game and 14th in steals per game. Waters registered 10 games with at least 20 points and seven assists, including a season-high 33-point, seven-assist performance in a 155-131 road win over the Greensboro Swarm on Nov. 27.

Behind the 22-year-old Waters, the Red Claws finished in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 28-14 record. Waters was named the NBA G League Player of the Month for November and earned a spot on the 2019-20 Midseason All-NBA G League Team in the Eastern Conference.

Boston selected Waters in the second round (51st pick overall) of NBA Draft 2019 presented by State Farm after he averaged 15.3 points, 5.8 assists and 2.91 steals as a sophomore at LSU in the 2018-19 season. Signed to a two-way contract last July, Waters has appeared in 10 games with the Celtics this season.

Waters is the fourth Maine player to be selected as the NBA G League Rookie of the Year, joining Abdel Nader (2016-17), Tim Frazier (2014-15) and DeShawn Sims (2010-11).

Waters appeared in 36 of Maine’s 42 games this season. The NBA G League canceled the remainder of its 2019-20 season on June 4. The regular season was suspended on March 12 and had been scheduled to conclude on March 28.

Salt Lake City Stars forward Jarrell Brantley and South Bay Lakers forward Devontae Cacok finished second and third, respectively, in voting for the 2019-20 NBA G League Rookie of the Year Award.

Utah Jazz designate Juneteenth as annual paid company holiday

The Utah Jazz announced today its plan to designate Juneteenth as an annual paid company holiday for its employees, starting with its observance on Friday, June 19.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, is considered the oldest national holiday commemorating emancipation from slavery in the United States.

On June 19, 1865 Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas and declared that the Civil War was over and that all those enslaved were now free.

“In the midst of the national conversation and calls for racial justice, our franchise has made the decision to pause, work to further educate ourselves, and reflect on our country’s race relations both past and present by observing Juneteenth,” said Utah Jazz President Jim Olson. “This is an important milestone in our history and another step for us to learn more about freedom for all and the fight for equality, and ideally be part of helping to create meaningful change.”

Sacramento Kings designate Juneteenth as an annual paid holiday

The Sacramento Kings today announced the designation of a company-wide annual paid holiday to observe Juneteenth on Friday, June 19, the oldest nationally celebrated holiday commemorating emancipation from slavery in the United States.

“We are proud to celebrate Juneteenth, honoring Black history and further committing ourselves to creating positive meaningful change,” said Sacramento Kings Chief Operating Officer Matina Kolokotronis. “The Kings remain dedicated to working with our community to address racial inequity through sustained action.”

Per the team, the anniversary will provide Kings members with an opportunity to reflect, learn more about addressing racial inequity and participate in civic engagement.

Christ Koumadje wins 2019-20 G League Defensive Player of the Year award

Delaware Blue Coats rookie center Christ Koumadje has been named the 2019-20 NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year, the NBA G League announced today. He earned the honor in a vote by the league’s 28 head coaches and general managers.

Koumadje (7-4, 270, Florida State) led the NBA G League in blocked shots per game (4.0) and total blocks (133) to go with 11.3 points and 10.9 rebounds in 33 games. He ranked 10th in the NBA G League in defensive rebounds per game (7.1). On Feb. 1, Koumadje recorded a triple-double with 18 points, 20 rebounds and an NBA G League season-high 12 blocks in a 111-103 road victory over the Erie BayHawks.

Behind Koumadje, the Blue Coats topped the NBA G League in blocks per game (7.3), finished second in opponents’ field goal percentage (44.0) and ranked ninth in defensive rating (107.4).

A Chad native, the 23-year-old Koumadje joined the Blue Coats after participating in NBA Summer League 2019 and the 2019 preseason with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Blue Coats are the NBA G League affiliate of the 76ers.

Koumadje appeared in 33 of Delaware’s 43 games this season. The NBA G League canceled the remainder of its 2019-20 season on June 4. The regular season was suspended on March 12 and had been scheduled to conclude on March 28.

Canton Charge guard-forward Sir’Dominic Pointer and Westchester Knicks forward Kenny Wooten finished second and third, respectively, in voting for the 2019-20 NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year Award.