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Good news for the Pacers, per the Indianapolis Star:
Indianapolis Pacers coach Nate McMillan said Victor Oladipo will start against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Oladipo had missed the past 11 games, the Pacers going 7-4 in his absence. Oladipo will be on a minutes restriction but McMillan wouldn’t say what the number is. Oladipo will likely be substituted early so he’ll have minutes available for the second half.
Cavaliers forward/center Tristan Thompson will miss around 2-4 weeks with a left foot sprain.
The injury occurred in yesterday’s road game against the Bucks in Milwaukee late in the third quarter, ending Thompson’s evening early.
Additional evaluation and an MRI today at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health confirmed the sprain.
Thompson will now undergo a period of treatment and rehabilitation.
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The Phoenix Suns yesterday (Monday) signed forward/center Eric Moreland.
A 6-10, 240-pound post player, Moreland has played in 78 games over three NBA seasons with Sacramento and Detroit. With the Pistons last season, Moreland appeared in a career-high 67 games and made the first three starts of his career, averaging 2.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per game. In the season finale at Chicago on April 11, Moreland recorded career highs of 16 points, 17 rebounds, four blocks and four steals in addition to four assists; he joined Andre Drummond as the only players in the NBA last season with a performance of at least four each of blocks, steals and assists.
Recently, Moreland played in two games for USA Basketball’s World Cup Qualifying team coached by Jeff Van Gundy. Moreland had 10 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks and three steals for the U.S. in a 78-70 win over Uruguay on Dec. 2 and posted two points and eight rebounds in an 81-63 loss to Argentina on Nov. 29. He spent training camp with Toronto prior to this season.
Moreland began his NBA career with the Kings, appearing in three games as a rookie in 2014-15 and eight games in 2015-16. He played the 2016-17 season with the Canton Charge of the NBA G League, earning All-NBA G League Third Team and NBA G League All-Defensive Team honors in addition to being a 2017 NBA G League All-Star. Moreland averaged 12.8 points on 56.1 percent shooting plus 12.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in 44 games with Canton. He also appeared in 12 G League games with the Reno Bighorns over the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons while on assignment from Sacramento.
The 26-year-old went undrafted in 2014 following a four-year career at Oregon State University. Moreland finished his career as the Beavers’ all-time leader in blocked shots (184) and blocked shots per game (2.07) while ranking fifth in rebounds (762) and sixth in rebounding average (8.6 per game). His hometown is Houston, Texas.
Moreland will wear uniform No. 23
Here’s the L.A. Times reporting on Lakers forward Brandon Ingram:
Brandon Ingram’s MRI Thursday evening confirmed a sprained left ankle and Ingram will be reevaluated in one week, the Lakers said Saturday.
That means Ingram will miss at least two more games after Saturday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Lakers play the Miami Heat at home Monday and will start a four-game road trip that begins in Houston Thursday.
And here’s ESPN.com with more:
Ingram is averaging 15.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game this season. He suffered the injury in the first quarter of Wednesday’s win over San Antonio when he landed on the foot of Spurs big man LaMarcus Aldridge after taking a jump shot. Aldridge was whistled for a flagrant foul 1 for sticking his foot where Ingram was going to land.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired guard Matthew Dellavedova and forward/center John Henson from the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three-team trade, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today. As part of the trade, Cleveland is also receiving Milwaukee’s own 2021 first round pick and 2021 second round pick as well as a 2022 second round pick from the Washington Wizards. In exchange, the Cavaliers will send guard George Hill and a 2021 second round pick (Washington’s via Utah) to the Bucks and forward Sam Dekker to the Wizards. In addition, Milwaukee will also receive forward Jason Smith from Washington.
“First and foremost, I’d like to thank George Hill,” said Altman. “He helped us get to the NBA Finals last year and has been a consummate professional on the court and in our community. Both George and Sam Dekker went about their work here with professionalism and class and we wish them the best. At the same time, we’re very pleased to bring Delly back to Cleveland and want to welcome John Henson as well. This deal satisfied several important aspects for us in terms of having both long and shorter term benefits and assets involved. We will continue to look for ways to improve and strengthen our position for the future, while enhancing our ability to compete and grow in the short-term also.”
“This trade allows us to continue to work to improve our team and gives us a young, developing player in Sam whose versatility and athleticism at the forward position will allow him to earn an opportunity to contribute,” said Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld. “We wish Jason the best moving forward and appreciate the value he brought to our team as a great teammate and true professional.”
“We’re excited to welcome George and Jason to the Bucks organization,” said Bucks General Manager Jon Horst. “George provides us added depth and experience at the guard position, while Jason gives us another front court player who can stretch the floor.” … “We wish Delly and John well and thank them for their many contributions both on and off the court.”
Hill (6-3, 188) appeared in 37 games (all starts) for Cleveland after being acquired by the Cavaliers on Feb. 8, 2018, averaging 9.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 27.4 minutes per game over that span. Dekker (6-9, 230), who was acquired by Cleveland on Aug. 7, 2018, played in nine games (five starts) for the Cavs this season, averaging 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.22 steals in 18.8 minutes per game.
Dellavedova (6-4, 200) played his first three NBA seasons with the Cavaliers from 2013-2016 and was a member of Cleveland’s 2016 NBA Championship team. In 215 career games (31 starts) with the Cavs, he averaged 5.7 points and 3.4 assists in 21.0 minutes per game. Dellavedova ranks ninth in Cavs history for three-point percentage (.398). He appeared in 12 games this season with Milwaukee and owns career averages of 5.8 points and 3.7 assists in 21.4 minutes over 341 games (88 starts) with the Cavaliers and Bucks. Dellavedova will wear jersey number 18 for the Cavs.
Henson (6-11, 219), who is in his eighth NBA season, has spent his entire career with Milwaukee, appearing in 405 games (152 starts) and averaging 7.8 points on .539 shooting, 5.4 rebounds and 1.48 blocks in 20.1 minutes per game. This season, he played in 14 games for the Bucks and averaged 5.6 points and 5.1 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game. He also appeared in the playoffs in four seasons with Milwaukee, playing in 14 games (two starts) and averaging 5.8 points on .536 shooting, 5.1 rebounds and 1.21 blocks in 19.4 minutes per game. Henson will wear jersey number 31 for the Cavs.
The Phoenix Suns today signed guard Jawun Evans (pronounced Juh-WAN) to a two-way contract.
Evans has played in 14 games this season with the Suns’ NBA G League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns.
A 6-0, 190-pound guard, Evans played in 48 games as a rookie with the LA Clippers last season and averaged 4.8 points, 2.1 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 16.2 minutes. He recorded five games scoring in double figures including two games with a career-high 15 points. On Dec. 15 of last season at Washington, Evans set career highs with 15 points and five steals in addition to recording six rebounds and six assists.
The seventh GATORADE Call-Up in the NBA this season and ninth in Northern Arizona Suns history, Evans leads the NAZ Suns with 18.5 points per game in addition to averaging 4.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 14 appearances. Over his last seven games, Evans has the second most total points in the NBA G League (173). Evans has three 30-point games with NAZ this season as he scored 30-plus in three straight from Nov. 27-Dec. 1, including a career-high 33 points on Dec. 1 at Iowa and on Nov. 27 vs. Memphis.
The 22-year-old was initially the 39th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by Philadelphia before being traded to the Clippers. Evans played two seasons at Oklahoma State University, earning All-Big 12 First Team in 2017 and Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2016. Evans averaged 16.6 points and 5.8 assists in 54 career games with the Cowboys, and averaged 19.2 points and 6.4 assists in 2016-17. Born in Greenville, South Carolina, Evans was a 2015 McDonald’s All American after he completed his career at Kimball High School in Dallas, Texas.
Evans will wear uniform No. 0.
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An MRI has revealed that Detroit Pistons guard Ish Smith has suffered a right adductor muscle tear. The injury occurred in the second quarter of the Pistons game at Milwaukee on December 5. Smith will be out and reassessed in two weeks.
Now in his 9th NBA season, Smith in 2018-19 is averaging 9.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 22 games.
According to the Detroit News, “it’s the third injury to the Pistons’ backcourt, along with Reggie Bullock (left ankle sprain) and Luke Kennard (right shoulder sprain). Kennard has returned and played in the last two games but has been ineffective as he’s tried to gain his game speed and timing back.”
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Warriors center Damian Jones, who suffered a torn left pectoral muscle in last Saturday’s game against the Pistons in Detroit, underwent what the team describes as successful surgery on Wednesday to repair the injury.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Benjamin Domb at Adventist Medical Health Center in Chicago and will enable Jones to begin rehabilitation in six weeks.
According to the Mercury News, “with All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins rehabbing his left Achilles tendon, Jones mostly assumed the starting position and experienced varying success and struggles. He averaged 5.4 points, 3.1 rebounds. 2.6 fouls and a block in 17.1 minutes in 24 games, including 22 as a starter. With Draymond Green also sidelined for 13 of the past 15 games because of a sprained right toe in his right foot, the Warriors currently only have fourth-year forward Kevon Looney, second-year forward Jordan Bell and two-way player Marcus Derrickson at the center spot.”
The New Orleans Pelicans signed guard Andrew Harrison to a two-way contract today.
Harrison, 6-6, 213, appeared in 11 games earlier this season (one with Memphis, 10 with Cleveland), averaging 4.1 points, 1.5 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per contest. Selected 44th overall by Phoenix in the 2015 NBA Draft out of the University of Kentucky, Harrison has appeared in 139 games (64 starts) for Memphis and Cleveland, holding career averages of 7.2 points, 2.8 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 21.2 minutes per game.
According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, “Harrison started out this season with Memphis but was waived on Nov. 1. He was picked up by the Cavaliers just eight days later. ”
More from the Times-Picayune: “Harrison becomes the fourth Kentucky player on the Pelicans’ roster joining Anthony Davis, Julius Randle and Darius Miller. Harrison and Randle played together as freshman at Kentucky during the 2013-14 season.”
Harrison will wear #1 for the Pelicans and be available for the team’s home game tonight against Dallas.
New Orleans’s roster now stands at 17, including two two-way players (Harrison and Trevon Bluiett).
Per NBA rules, each team is allowed to carry two players on two-way contracts in addition to the standard 15 players on the roster. Players signed to two-way contracts will spend the majority of the year in the NBA G League, but can be called up to their NBA team for a maximum of 45 days during the season.
Changes to new Chicago Bulls head coach Jim Boylen’s coaching staff were made today.
Assistant coach Nate Loenser has been elevated to the bench, while director of player development Shawn Respert, has also been elevated to the bench, as he now joins Boylen’s staff as an assistant coach. Longtime NBA coaching veteran Dean Cooper comes to the Bulls after starting the season as an assistant coach with Chicago’s G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls. Assistant coach Randy Brown notified the Bulls today that he has resigned from his post with the team.
In summary, Boylen’s coaching staff is now comprised of Pete Myers, Loenser, Respert, Cooper and Karen Stack Umlauf.
Loenser is in his second season as an assistant coach with the Bulls. He served as head coach of the Windy City Bulls during the team’s inaugural season in 2016-17. He spent the 2015-16 as Chicago’s video coordinator, after having coached at the University of Southern Mississippi and Iowa State. “Nate is a very bright, young coach who has earned this opportunity,” said Boylen.
Respert most recently served as the team’s director of player development since the start of 2017-18 season. Prior to coming to Chicago, he was a regional scout and assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies. While with the Grizzlies, he was a member of David Joerger’s staff for three seasons (2013-16). He also spent three seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he worked as an assistant coach with an emphasis on player development. He worked four seasons with the Houston Rockets as an assistant coach (2008-11). “Shawn is in charge of our player development and I feel it is vital that he is on our bench with our players,” said Boylen.
Cooper reunites with Boylen having worked together on Rudy Tomjanovich’s staff with the Houston Rockets. Before his term in Hoffman Estates with the Windy City Bulls, he was the head coach of the Salt Lake City Stars/Idaho Stampede for three seasons (2014-2017). Prior to his time with Salt Lake City, Cooper enjoyed a second stint with the Houston Rockets as an assistant coach for Kevin McHale (2012-14). His first tour with the Rockets spanned nine seasons (1999-2008) where he held several roles, including video coordinator, assistant coach, personnel scout, director of scouting and vice president of player personnel. He also spent time with the Minnesota Timberwolves as the director of player development for two seasons (2010-12). “Dean is a veteran coach who has a ton of experience and someone I have a great comfort level with,” said Boylen.
Brown, an assistant coach with the Bulls since 2015, was offered an opportunity to remain on the staff, but declined the post. “I’m disappointed Randy has made this decision, but I understand he has to do what is best for him,” said Boylen.