Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Clippers will reportedly sign forward Robert Covington to contract extension

Some 2022 NBA offseason news has come a bit early. Via ESPN.com:

LA Clippers forward Robert Covington has agreed to a two-year, $24 million contract extension, his agent, Andrew Morrison of CAA Sports, told ESPN on Thursday.

Covington, who will avoid a summer free-agency marketplace that is limited in salary-cap space, returns to a loaded Clippers roster that will start the season among the NBA’s significant championship contenders.

Under collective bargaining rules, Covington was eligible to re-sign with the Clippers for a maximum of two years before the start of free agency in July.

The Clippers finished 42-40 this season, qualified for the play-in tournament, but failed to clinch a playoff spot.

Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks suspended one game for foul on Gary Payton II

Memphis Grizzlies guard-forward Dillon Brooks has been suspended one game without pay for having made unnecessary and excessive contact against Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II, resulting in substantial injury to Payton, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.

The incident, for which Brooks was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 9:08 remaining in the first quarter of the Grizzlies’ 106-101 win over the Warriors in Game 2 of their conference semifinals playoff series May 3 at FedEx Forum.

Brooks will serve his suspension Saturday, May 7 when the Grizzlies visit the Warriors for Game 3 at Chase Center.

Tyler Herro wins 2021-22 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro has been named the 2021-22 NBA Sixth Man of the Year for his contributions in a reserve role, the NBA announced today. This is the first Sixth Man honor for Herro, who becomes the first player to win the annual award with the Heat.

Herro received 488 total points (96 first-place votes) from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love finished in second place with 214 points (three first-place votes). Phoenix Suns forward Cam Johnson finished in third place with 128 points (one first-place vote).

Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote. To be eligible for the Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, a player had to have come off the bench in more games than he started.

In his third NBA season, Herro averaged 20.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 32.6 minutes in 66 games (10 starts). His scoring average of 20.8 points as a reserve was the highest in the NBA. He became the fifth player to average at least 20.0 points off the bench (minimum 50 games as a reserve) since starts began being tracked in the 1970-71 season, joining Thurl Bailey (1987-88), Eddie Johnson (1988-89), Ricky Pierce (1989-90, 1990-91) and Lou Williams (2017-18, 2018-19).

Herro’s eight 30-point games off the bench were tied for the third most since the 1970-71 season and his 20 25-point games were tied for the fourth most. He ranked 20th in the NBA in free throw percentage (86.8), 21st in points per game, 26th in three-point field goal percentage (39.9) and 32nd in three-pointers made (175).

Setting a single-season franchise record with 1,162 points off the bench, Herro helped the Heat finish with a 53-29 record and earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2022 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel. Miami is currently facing the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, with Game 2 to be played on Wednesday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

Herro, 22, the 13th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, has averaged 16.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 175 games over three seasons with the Heat. In the 2019-20 season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team and set a Miami single-game playoff rookie scoring record with 37 points against the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

On D’Angelo Russell and the Timberwolves

Here’s the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Minnesota Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell:

D’Angelo Russell, the man known for having “ice in his veins” — an ode to his clutch shot making — spent the most important minutes of the Timberwolves’ season on the bench.

Russell sat in favor of Jordan McLaughlin for the final five minutes of Minnesota’s Game 6 loss on Saturday at Target Center. That certainly wasn’t Russell’s preference. He noted Saturday that everyone wants to be in a position to do their job.

“Of course I want to be out there,” he said.

But he didn’t earn that opportunity. Not with his play Saturday, not with his play throughout the first-round series, and frankly not with his play over the past couple of months. Over his final 14 appearances of the regular season, Russell averaged just 13.4 points a game, shooting 37 percent from the floor and 29 percent from deep. Over the back portion of the season, Russell had the Timberwolves’ worst defensive rating and net rating.

Then came a dynamic play-in performance against the Los Angeles Clippers that helped Minnesota punch its playoff ticket. But that turned out to be a blip on the radar and not a precursor to playoff success. Russell averaged 12 points and nearly three turnovers per game in the first-round loss, shooting 33 percent from the field.

Full Article

Heat swingman Jimmy Butler says knee should be okay for second round Game 1

Here’s ESPN.com with some good news on the Miami Heat:

Heat swingman Jimmy Butler is confident he’ll be ready for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night as he continues to deal with right knee soreness.

“It’s all right,” Butler said after Saturday’s practice. “We got another day in between. Get out there, rip and ride. And I know it will be ready to hold up come Monday, but the time off has been great for myself and so many other guys that are nicked up. Everybody’s ready to compete.”

Butler sat out Game 5 of the Heat’s series-clinching win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night, but he looked solid taking jumpers and moving around the floor a little bit after Saturday’s practice. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said all the players, a group that included Butler and veteran guard Kyle Lowry, were able to do “a little bit more than [Friday].” Heat guard Tyler Herro said he would be ready for Game 1 after missing Friday’s practice while dealing with a cold.

Sixers center Joel Embiid out with multiple injuries

Here’s the Philly Voice on a major Philadelphia 76ers injury:

This is the last thing the Sixers needed.

Joel Embiid, already banged up with a torn ligament in his thumb, is now out indefinitely with an orbital fracture and concussion that he suffered late in the series-clinching Game 6 against the Raptors.

The Sixers’ second-round series against the top-seeded Miami Heat begins Monday, and they’ll have to go into without their best player on the floor.

This ain’t good.

Is there a chance Embiid could come back later in the series, provided the Sixers are still hanging on? Maybe. But there’s no way to tell right now.

Judy Seto reportedly no longer with Lakers training staff

Judy Seto, a veteran member of the Lakers’ training staff, is no longer with the team — this as her contract expired — according to individuals familiar with the situation.

Since 2019, Seto has served as the team’s director of sports performance. She formerly worked as the Lakers’ head physical therapist from 2011 to 2016. Before that, she worked closely with Kobe Bryant, who praised her job as “indispensable.”

Bryant commended Seto with helping him stay in the league for so long.

Via the Los Angeles Times

On the future of the Utah Jazz beyond the 2022 playoffs

A factor to consider after these playoffs is the team’s age. If the Jazz weren’t on the older end of the age spectrum, management might be more patient. The team’s leader, Donovan Mitchell, is only 25, while Bojan Bogdanovic is 33 and Mike Conley is 34, making them two of four players over 30. Conley has been in the professional game for 15 years, one longer than Bogdanovic.

According to Sporting News, the Jazz were tied for second among the NBA’s oldest teams entering this season. The Lakers (30.0) were the only team that was older. At 28.1, the Jazz and Nets came in second and third, respectively.

The Celtics (25.9), Grizzlies (24.2), Timberwolves (24.3), Pelicans (25.0), Raptors (25.2), and 76ers (25.8) are all rising young teams. The Jazz are in the Western Conference with a lot of the league’s best young teams.

Via the Deseret News

Donovan Mitchell good to go for Mavs at Jazz Game 6

Donovan Mitchell, star guard for the Utah Jazz, said that he will be available for Game 6 against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, a day after an MRI on his left hamstring came back negative.

Mitchell stated he’s suffering from soreness as a result of a bilateral quadriceps contusion, as diagnosed by the team’s medical staff. He did, however, state unequivocally that he would be able to play in Thursday’s home game against the Jazz, who are in danger of being eliminated.

Via ESPN.com

Injury update on Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell

The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell:

Mitchell (6-3, 222, Louisville) was re-examined Tuesday morning by the Utah Jazz medical staff and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) testing on his left hamstring. The results were negative. Mitchell has bi-lateral quadriceps contusions and will continue treatment. His status for Game 6 of Utah’s First Round series against Dallas will be updated on Wednesday.