NBA News Blog – Page 418 – NBA Blog

Sixers flight overseas took almost 22 hours

The Sixers just spent a tremendous amount of time on airplanes. Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting:

The team’s flight from Philadelphia to the world’s most populated city took 21 hours, 38 minutes because of a snow storm in Calgary. The plane made a scheduled stop in the Canadian city for gas. However, the Sixers were delayed three hours there because of the weather.

The Sixers were scheduled to arrive at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, Shanghai time. However, they didn’t get here until midday.

“As crazy as it was for others, I was actually doing work and fell asleep,” coach Brett Brown said of the flight. “And I was a bit surprised when you felt the plane take off again, and I did wake up and saw a Sunoco sign when I thought we were over the South Pacific.

“Other than that, it was a long trip.”

China is an important basketball market for the entire world and especially the NBA, but I have to wonder how it affects players to take a trip like that. Obviously there’s no long term effect, so it’s not a huge deal. And on the positive side, aside from promoting the league in general, the teams that do make the trip, and of course some of the individual stars on those teams, probably gain a nice amount of new international fans.

Knicks sign forward Phillip Carr

The New York Knicks have signed forward Phillip Carr.

It’s probably just a non-guaranteed deal that will end during or at the conclusion of preseason.

Carr, 6-8, 190-pounds, played three seasons (2015-18) at Morgan State University, posting 13.4 points and 8.5 rebounds over 32.9 minutes in 87 games (85 starts). Carr was named to the All-MEAC First Team, twice (2017-18) and was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Year during his junior season.

Hawks waive Cole Aldrich

The Atlanta Hawks waived center Cole Aldrich today.

The team originally signed him on September 18, 2018. He was signed for training camp purposes and was a longshot to make the regular season roster.

The 6-foot-11, 253-pound center, a lottery pick in the 2010 NBA draft, has played for the Thunder, Rockets, Kings, Knicks, Clippers and Timberwolves. In the 2017-18 season for Minnesota, Aldrich received just 2.3 minutes per game of playing time. He could latch on with another team, but that’s no guarantee.

Jerryd Bayless out with knee sprain

Philadelphia 76ers guard Jerryd Bayless suffered a sprain of the posterolateral corner in his left knee during practice on Sunday, September 30. He is out and will begin treatment immediately.

The clinical evolution of rehabilitation will determine his return to competition, and he will be re-evaluated in approximately three to four weeks.

Starters for this upcoming season in the Sixers backcourt will definitely be Ben Simmons and probably JJ Redick. Bayless is in the mix for backup minutes, but it’s crowded in the guard spot on that bench.

The big question in regard to Sixers guard this season is if Markelle Fultz will emerge.

Timberwolves announce promotions and additions to basketball staff

The Minnesota Timberwolves have made some additions and promotions in their basketball staff, promoting Todd Checovich to Scout/General Manager of the Iowa Wolves, Nick Restifo to Senior Basketball Operations Analyst and Troy Sutton to Head Strength and Conditioning Coach.

The team has also named Cole Fisher as Basketball Operations Analyst, Kurt Joseph as Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach and Danny Wilson as Assistant Equipment Manager.

Checovich enters his sixth season with the Timberwolves after spending the last two years as Manager of Basketball Operations where he helped coordinate the team’s college scouting efforts in preparation for the NBA Draft. Prior to joining Minnesota, he spent one season as Basketball Operations Intern with the Maine Red Claws. Originally from New Hampshire, Checovich played four years of collegiate basketball at Colgate University before earning his law degree from Villanova University School of Law.

Restifo originally joined the Timberwolves in January 2017 as a Basketball Operations Analyst. Prior to joining the Wolves, he was an Associate Data Scientist, Advanced Analytics at Darden Restaurants while also spending time as a writer for NylonCalculus.com and as a Basketball Analytics Coordinator at the University of New Haven.

Sutton is entering his third season with the Timberwolves, first in his position as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach after serving as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach the previous two seasons. His 14+ year career has included stops with Northwestern and Ohio State, most recently serving as the Assistant Director of Sports Performance at Northwestern under Head Strength Coach Jay Hooten.

Fisher joins Minnesota’s analytics staff after internships with the Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors over the last year. In addition, Fisher has also created a web application to help accurately predict future NBA success for current G League players, as well as other web applications.

Joseph joins the Timberwolves after spending last season as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Iowa Wolves, Minnesota’s G League affiliate. Prior to joining the Wolves, Joseph was a weight room assistant with the New York Knicks, where his duties consisted of aiding in team practice, implementing the strength and conditioning program, implementing all prehab and corrective exercise protocols as directed.

Wilson spent the last two seasons as the Head Equipment/Clubhouse Manager for the Saint Paul Saints. Wilson has also served as a Locker Room Assistant during Timberwolves home games since 2000, assisting both the home and visiting teams and referees with their needs before, during and after games.

Pelicans sign center Brandon McCoy

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed free agent center Brandon McCoy.

It is very likely a non-guaranteed deal that merely brings McCoy to training camp.

McCoy, 7-1, 250, went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft. The Chicago native spent one season at UNLV, appearing in 33 games and averaging 16.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.

McCoy will wear #12 for the Pelicans. New Orleans’ training camp roster now stands at 20.

Hornets beat Celtics in NBA preseason opener

The 2018-19 NBA preseason began Friday, with a Hornets victory over the Celtics. Some quotes on the game:

Charlotte Observer: “Jeremy Lamb says his dream growing up was to be an NBA starter. That didn’t look plausible based on most of his pro career to date, but he sure made a case in the Charlotte Hornets’ first exhibition. Lamb, starting at shooting guard, hit three of his five 3-pointers, finishing with 15 points and looking generally impressive in the Hornets’ 104-97 victory over the Boston Celtics at the Smith Center on North Carolina’s campus.”

The Observer on Celtics guard Kyrie Irving: “The Celtics’ point guard looked sharp in his first game back since a knee procedure in March that ended his season.”

Boston Herald: “Gordon Hayward’s first game in roughly a year had predictable rust, and the equally expected self-critique by the Celtics forward when it was all over. But forget about the warts and the Celtics’ 104-97 loss to Charlotte in their exhibition season opener in the Dean Smith Center. He was playing again. “It definitely was (a small victory),” Hayward said after scoring 10 points in 22 front-loaded minutes. “I’ve been through a lot this last year. Just to be out there in front of the fans and playing with my teammates – there were moments last year when I definitely was not able to do that. Definitely a win.”

Lakers hire Kurt Rambis as Senior Basketball Advisor

Legendary former Lakers role player Kurt Rambis is back with the squad. Not as a role player again, which would be fun considering his playing days are long over, but as Senior Basketball Advisor.

Rambis will report to President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson, and support the basketball operations and coaching staffs in their day-to-day functions.

“As a member of the Showtime Lakers, Kurt is a champion and knows how to win,” said Johnson. “He has been an integral part of the Lakers organization winning four NBA Championships as a player and an additional four as a part of the staff. His insights and wide range of experiences will be a huge benefit to our operations.”

Rambis has spent the past 16 years (1994-2009, 2013-14) in various coaching and front office roles within the Lakers organization. During that time, the team made six NBA Finals appearances (2000-02, 2004, 2008-09) and won four NBA Championships (2000, 2001, 2002 and 2009).

Rambis also served as the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2009-11 and for four years from 2014-18 was associate head coach of the New York Knicks, including a brief stint as interim head coach.

“I’m happy to welcome Kurt back to the organization,” said Lakers head coach Luke Walton. “Kurt’s vast NBA experience and knowledge of the game will be a great asset to the team and I look forward to working with him again.”

Lauri Markkanen out 6-8 weeks with elbow injury

NBA preseason is generally filled with minor injuries that are the opposite of serious and generally only require a day or two’s worth of rest to heal.

Unfortunately, this is not the case with Lauri Markkanen. The young Bulls power forward sustained a right elbow injury in practice on Thursday, Sept. 27. He underwent an MRI today that showed a high grade lateral elbow sprain.

Markkanen is estimated to be out six-to-eight weeks.

And according to the Chicago Sun-Times, after averaging 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds last season and being named to the NBA All-Rookie first team, Markkanen added 17 pounds of muscle this offseason and was expected to be a focal point of the offense. “Lauri looks great,’’ guard Zach LaVine said just days before Markkanen suffered the injury in practice Thursday. “He got a little bit stronger; jumper still looks pretty as all get-out. Still the funniest dude in the world. He looks good, man.”

Marcus Smart out for Celtics tonight

Preseason is a warmup period. Many stars play sparingly. Plenty of players suffer very minor bumps and bruises and wind up sitting out more than probably necessary, just to be on the safe side. But personal tragedy, which Marcus Smart recently suffered, as his mother recently passed away, can of course happen at any time. Here’s the Boston Globe:

The Celtics will begin their preseason without guard Marcus Smart, who did not make the trip with his teammates to North Carolina and will miss Friday’s opener because of what the team called personal reasons.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens said Smart is expected back with the team Saturday or for Sunday’s game against Charlotte and that Smart is physically healthy. Smart, 24, is still grieving following the death of his mother, Camellia, on Sept. 16 and admitted moving on from her passing has been difficult.

Preseason begins tonight, with the Celtics facing the Hornets.