Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Nuggets sign coach Mike Malone to contract extension

The Denver Nuggets and Head Coach Michael Malone have agreed to a contract extension, Vice Chairman of KSE Josh Kroenke and President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced Tuesday.

According to ESPN, Malone’s extension runs through the 2022-23 NBA season.

Malone is coming off a season in which he led the Nuggets to a 54-28 record, their second-best overall record in franchise history, en route to the #2 seed in the Western Conference. The Nuggets also advanced to the second round of the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2008-09. Since Malone took over prior to the 2015-16 season, the Nuggets have improved on their win total by a total of 24 wins (+3 after first season, +7 after second, +6 after third and +8 after fourth), making Denver the only team in the NBA to increase their win total in each of the last four seasons. The Nuggets previously agreed to a contract extension with Coach Malone on Oct. 17, 2018.

According to the Denver Post, “as the Nuggets deal with their first year of real expectations, Malone has been noticeably more measured on the sidelines this season. He knows that his demeanor will be reflected in how his team plays, and it’s one area of tangible growth. On Monday, when the Nuggets showed composure in their riveting comeback win over the Suns, Malone tried to embody how he wanted his team to conduct itself.”

“This season and team has been about continuity, with Coach Malone being the first piece of that,” stated Josh Kroenke. “We are thrilled to continue to have him lead this promising young roster and are excited about what the future holds. Coach Malone has been pivotal in this organization’s success and will continue to be so.”

“We have been very fortunate to have Coach Malone lead our resurgence. His tireless work ethic and passion are clearly reflected in the continued improvement of our roster,” said Tim Connelly. “We are all extremely excited for him to continue to lead our team as we try to build a championship level organization.”

Through 357 games as Denver’s head coach, Malone has compiled a record of 194-163 (.543), ranking him fourth in franchise history in wins among head coaches.

“I would like to thank Josh, Stan and the entire Kroenke family, along with Tim Connelly and the front office, for continuing to believe and trust in me as their head coach,” Malone said. “None of this would be possible without the hard work, dedication and trust from our players as well as the entire coaching staff. I’d also like to thank the amazing fans in Denver who have helped make Pepsi Center one of the toughest places to play in the NBA once again. I look forward to continuing our ultimate goal of winning NBA Championships.”

Cavs trade Jordan Clarkson to Jazz for Dante Exum

The Utah Jazz in a trade today acquired guard Jordan Clarkson from Cleveland in exchange for guard Danté Exum and two future second round picks, pending the outcome of physicals.

The two draft picks Cleveland will receive are a 2022 second-round pick via San Antonio and a 2023 second-round pick via Golden State.

Exum (6-5, 214) has appeared in 11 games for Utah this season. In five seasons with the Jazz, he averaged 5.7 points and 2.2 assists in 18.7 minutes over 215 career contests (68 starts), and appeared in 17 career playoff games in 2017 and 2018. The Melbourne, Australia native was originally drafted by Utah with the fifth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, “Exum, 24, had struggled to find time in coach Quin Snyder’s playing rotation after recovering from knee surgery. While the Jazz had allocated all of their developmental resources toward Exum, the Australian disappointed during the course of his Jazz career.”

Clarkson (6-4, 192, Missouri) is in his sixth NBA season, currently averaging 14.6 points on 44.2 percent from the field, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 23.0 minutes per game. Among qualified players, the 27-year-old ranks seventh in scoring average off the bench in 2019-20, also having knocked down the fourth most three-point field goals (59) among reserves this season.

Drafted in the second round (46th overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft by Washington (traded to Lakers on draft night), the San Antonio, Texas native has appeared in 411 career games (138 starts) with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cavaliers with career averages of 14.7 points on 44.4 percent shooting, 3.2 boards and 2.7 assists in 27.2 minutes per contest. Following his first season, he was named to the 2014-15 All-Rookie First Team.

Per the Tribune, “Clarkson, known as a slasher along the lines of former Utah guard Alec Burks, spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers before being traded to the Cavs in 2018.”

And one more Tribune note: “Exum will make $9.6 million for this season and next. Clarkson’s deal, on the other hand, expires this summer and will make him $13.4 million this season.”

 

 

 

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Bulls guard/forward Max Strus suffers major injury, out 8-12 months

Chicago Bulls guard/forward Max Strus sustained a torn ACL and bone bruise to his left knee on Dec. 21 in the Windy City Bulls game against the Lakeland Magic at the G League Winter Showcase. The diagnosis was confirmed today by an MRI and a physical exam.

Strus will undergo surgery in approximately three weeks after his swelling and discomfort resolves, and he is expected to be out for eight-to-12 months.

The Bulls signed Strus to a Two-Way contract on Oct. 22. He averaged 2.5 points through two appearances for the Bulls this season. In the G League, Strus averaged 18.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 13 games for Windy City.

Cavs and Jazz reportedly set to trade Jordan Clarkson, Dante Exum

The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly set to trade guard Jordan Clarkson to the Utah Jazz for guard Dante Exum.

According to ESPN.com, “the Jazz will send Cleveland a 2022 (via San Antonio) and 2023 (via Golden State) second-round picks, sources said. This was the NBA’s first trade since the Houston-Oklahoma City deal centered on Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul on July 11. Clarkson arrives with a $13.4 million expiring contract. Exum has two years, $19.2 million left on his contract. The Cavaliers will create a $3.83 million trade exception, which it has one year to use, ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks reports.”

The Cavs are 8-21 this season. Clarkson has come off the bench for all 29 games and is averaging 14.6 points in 23.0 minutes per game. Their focus this season should be on rebuilding for the future.

The Jazz are 18-11 and currently on a five-game winning streak. They’re a playoff competitor. And got little out of Exum during his time on the team due to major injury issues. As for this season, Exum is averaging just 2.2 points in 7.5 minutes per game, over 11 games.

NBA Players of the Week are Kyle Lowry and Dennis Schroder

Raptors guard Kyle Lowry has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Dec. 16-22. Lowry earns the honor for the sixth time in his career and fifth time with the Raptors.

Lowry averaged 24.5 points, 10.0 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 39.6 minutes while helping the Raptors to a perfect 4-0 record last week. He shot .448 (30-for-67) from the field, .424 (14-for-33) from three-point range and .774 (24-for-31) at the free throw line.

Lowry began the week by recording the first of three double-doubles (20 points, 11 assist) during a 133-113 victory Dec. 16 vs. Cleveland. He then earned his franchise-best 13th career triple-double Dec. 18 at Detroit (20 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds). Lowry finished the week by leading the Raptors in a franchise-record 30-point comeback Dec. 22 vs. Dallas. He scored a game-high 32 points, including 20 points in the fourth quarter rally that resulted in a 110-107 victory.

And on the West side of things, Thunder guard Dennis Schroder has been named Western Conference Player of the Week.

From the Oklahoman, “He averaged 25.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and six assists, lifting the Thunder to a 4-0 record last week. Schroder, an early Sixth Man of the Year candidate, beat out a field of starters to claim the honor.”

Devin Booker wins NBA Cares Community Assist award for November, 2019

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has received the November NBA Cares Community Assist Award. This in recognition of his efforts to impact the lives of local children and families through his Devin Booker Starting Five initiative.

The award recognizes a player each month who best reflects the passion that the league and NBA players share for giving back to their communities.

Booker created the Devin Booker Starting Five to further his commitment to the Phoenix community, pledging $500,000 annually to five different youth-serving nonprofits in Arizona, and a total of $2.5 million over the course of five years. In November, he announced Special Olympics Arizona, Ability 360, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, UMOM New Day Centers and Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center as members of the Starting Five. Booker invited the organizations to Talking Stick Resort Arena to surprise each of them with an initial $100,000 donation. The funding will allow the organizations to address critical areas of need, including the construction and refurbishment of facilities, expansion of family services, improved patient support and investments in research.

Wizards bring back Gary Payton II

The Washington Wizards signed guard Gary Payton II today.

Payton (6-3, 190) has played in 16 games (15 starts) this season for the South Bay Lakers, averaging 21.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, 6.8 assists and a NBA G League-leading 3.2 steals per game. Payton has tallied 14 double-doubles this season (nine point-rebound and five point-assist). The fourth-year pro was recently named NBA G League Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 16 after averaging 30.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 10.0 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting 58.7 percent from the field.

Payton signed a 10-Day contract with the Wizards in January 2019, appearing in three games and averaging 3.7 points per game off the bench. After completing his 10-Day contract, Payton returned to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, helping lead them to the NBA G League championship. In his four year career, Payton has played in 32 total games with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers and Wizards.

Per the Washington Post, “Washington recently applied for and received a hardship exception, which allowed the team to bring in another player even while having the league maximum amount of 15 players and a pair of two-way players.”

The Wizards’ roster now stands at 16, not including two-way players Garrison Mathews and Anzejs Pasecniks.

 

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LeBron James misses first game of season, Lakers lose to Nuggets

LeBron James finally missed a game this season, as the Lakers fell to the Nuggets Sunday. Here’s the Denver Post reporting:

The Nuggets strode into the Staples Center and rocked the Lakers 128-104 on Sunday night, improving to 20-8 and stretching their winning streak to six. They’ll go for seven on Monday night in Phoenix against the Suns.

Though James was ruled out with a rib injury — the first game he has missed all season — the Nuggets put together a fantastic collective effort that might have won them the game had he been healthy.

Paul Millsap scored 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting, but his dogged effort on Lakers superstar Anthony Davis was arguably more valuable. Though Davis finished with 32 points, Millsap chased him around the court and hounded him as the Lakers fought fruitlessly to get back into the game.

And the OC Register:

Unlike his trademark unibrow, Anthony Davis does his best work in a pair.

That’s not to say that the 26-year-old’s 32-point, 11-rebound, four-block game on Sunday night didn’t make him look like a star. But the performance came without a win, which has become the ultimate bottom line in a Lakers (24-6) season with renewed championship aspirations.

It was telling that even as Davis checked back in to start the fourth quarter, the visiting Denver Nuggets (20-8) kept on pulling away. In a 128-104 loss — the Lakers’ third straight and the largest margin of defeat this season — it was clear that Davis sorely lacked his running mate, LeBron James.

The Lakers have gotten national attention all season — quite justifiably — but the Nuggets deserve big praise as well. They’re 20-8 this season and their win Sunday was their sixth straight victory.

They’re being led in scoring this season by Jamal Murray (17.5 ppg), Nikola Jokic (17.3 ppg), Will Barton (14.6 ppg), Paul Millsap (13.0 ppg) and Gary Harris (11.3 ppg). But defense is why the Nuggets are having an excellent year. They’re second best in the league in that department, only behind the Bucks.

 

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Another huge game by Hassan Whiteside

Trail Blazers big-man Hassan Whiteside is doing big things lately. Here’s NBC Sports Northwest:

He had another monster game Saturday night, helping the Trail Blazers push past the Minnesota Timberwolves 113-106. And all Whiteside did was grab 22 rebounds, block seven shots and score 16 points. He is averaging 16 rebounds and four blocks over his last seven games and is coming off rebound games of 14, 23 and 17 prior to his 22 against the T-Wolves.

The Timberwolves were without star center Karl-Anthony Towns, which certainly made things easier for Whiteside – but still, a big performance is a big performance.

 

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