Kristaps Porzingis racking up injuries early

Here’s ESPN New York reporting on the Knicks’ prize rookie, who is racking up all sorts of injuries before his first regular season game gets played:

Kristaps Porzingis racking up injuries early

New York Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis missed Monday’s game due to a strained left upper quad.

It’s the third non-contact injury for Porzingis in the past four months. Coach Derek Fisher said the Knicks’ training staff might consider changes to the rookie’s workout regimen to try to prevent future injury. “There’s definitely something that we need to try and figure out [to] make sure to try and help him limit the injuries and the setbacks,” Fisher said. “It’s for him, it’s for us, it’s for our medical team. We’ll figure it out.”

The Knicks are optimistic Porzingis will play in their next preseason game Friday.

Cavs preseason is a struggle

The Cavs’ preseason so far consists of losses and players missing games due to injury. The good news? It’s just preseason. This is all just a warmup. Here’s ESPN Cleveland reporting:

The Cleveland Cavaliers dropped to 0-3 in the preseason with a 91-81 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. Rather than focus on the winless record, the team is taking a matter-of-fact approach to their predicament.

“No,” LeBron James said when asked if the early losses bothered him. “It’s not frustrating. You get frustrated in September or October, you won’t make it. I’m good. I’m good.”

What’s bad is the Cavs’ injury situation. Kyrie Irving (left knee), Kevin Love (left shoulder) and Iman Shumpert (right wrist) haven’t played a game all preseason. J.R. Smith has missed the past two games with a sore left hamstring and Mo Williams was given the Grizzlies game off to rest. Not to mention James and Timofey Mozgov both taking one of the three games off so far. And of course, the complete absence of Tristan Thompson while he holds out while trying to negotiate a new contract doesn’t help things.

The circumstances have created a barely recognizable Cavaliers team that’s taking the court for games.

Norris Cole suffers ankle sprain

Norris Cole suffers ankle sprain

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that guard Norris Cole suffered a high left ankle sprain during yesterday’s practice. A timetable for Cole’s return will be determined at a later date.

Cole, 6-2, 175, appeared in 28 games last season for New Orleans after being acquired from Miami at the trade deadline, averaging 9.9 points and 3.2 assists in 24.4 minutes per game. Drafted 28th overall out of Cleveland State by Chicago in the 2011 NBA Draft, Cole has appeared in 302 career regular season games for New Orleans and Miami, holding averages of 6.6 points and 2.6 assists per game.

Carmelo Anthony pays visit to Rikers Island

Here’s the New York Post reporting on Knicks star forward Carmelo Anthony taking a positive-minded trip to a place kids should be sure to avoid:

Carmelo Anthony pays visit to Rikers Island

Carmelo Anthony’s preparation for training camp was a little different this year. Instead of taking some time for himself, he got ready for the grind ahead by going to jail.

No, he didn’t get into trouble. The Knicks star forward spent his free time visiting Rikers Island and meeting with a group of inmates with the sole intention to motivate the troubled young men.

“It was a lot of encouragement,” Anthony said, speaking about the visit for the first time following Sunday’s practice at the MSG Training Center. “A lot of the kids that’s in there, they still have a chance to come home in the next couple of years, and they’re still dealing with a court case or trial, so there’s some upside to that. They still have a life ahead of them.”

Coach Wittman discusses latest Wizards win

The Washington Wizards beat PASCHOALOTTO/BAURU 134-100 in preseason yesterday. Here’s what Wizards head coach Randy Wittman said after the game:

Randy Wittman on the game: “It is good for us to figure out how they play, and it forced us to switch and play a lot of big on big switching and one-two switching for the first time in the three games we played so far. And we had to defend 100 pick and rolls, which we need to continue to get better at. So I thought it was good to play a team like this, they stretched the floor and shot a lot of threes. A lot of things I thought that helped us tonight.”

Wittman on Kelly Oubre Jr: “He’s a young kid, a rookie, and he’s learning and I love his attitude. He hasn’t put his head down, even though he hasn’t got off to the type of start in terms of numbers I’m sure he wanted to. But he’s out there fighting and he’s out here every day.”

Wittman on Josh Harrellson: “He knows how to play, he’s a very smart player and he can stretch the floor. He has been doing it a lot in practice, just playing and being in the right spot at the right time. I told him today I needed him to play more than ten minutes and not foul out. He has been real solid.”

Wittman on defensive improvements: “Our communication and transition were much better, and we were better defending the pick and roll and communicating together. We are at our best when we have all five players playing together.”

Lakers beat Maccabi Haifa 126-83

Here’s the OC Register reporting on a Lakers preseason win:

Kobe Bryant scored 21 points in 19 minutes and six of his teammates scored in double figures as the Lakers rolled to a 126-83 win over Israel’s Maccabi Haifa on Sunday at Staples Center.

Bryant shot an efficient 6-of-10 from the field, including 4-of-6 on 3-pointers.

Roy Hibbert tallied 16 rebounds to go with 8 points and 5 assists.

It was a breakout night for many, and especially appreciated after the Lakers lost their first three preseason games.

Julius Randle showing off handles in preseason

Here’s ESPN Los Angeles reporting on a key member of the Lakers youth movement:

Julius Randle showing off handles in preseason

This summer, Los Angeles Lakers coach Byron Scott came to Julius Randle with an order.

“I told him every time he gets a defensive rebound, I want him to push it,” Scott said Sunday following his team’s 126-83 preseason win over Maccabi Haifa at Staples Center here.

It’s not typical for a 6-foot-9, 250-pound power forward to have the green light to initiate fast breaks all by himself.

“True,” Scott said with a smile.

But that’s precisely what Randle has done on numerous possessions throughout this preseason, and his agility, athleticism and ball-handling skills have been one of the biggest highlights — and biggest surprises — for the Lakers, continually impressing his teammates, coaches and fans alike.

Pelicans sign Jerome Jordan

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has signed free agent center Jerome Jordan.

Jordan, 7-0, 253, appeared in 44 games for the Brooklyn Nets during the 2014-15 season, averaging 3.1 points and 2.4 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per game.

Drafted 44th overall out of the University of Tulsa by Milwaukee in the 2010 NBA Draft, Jordan has appeared in 65 career regular season NBA games with Brooklyn and New York, holding averages of 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 7.6 minutes per contest. Jordan has also spent time in the NBA Development League with the Los Angeles D-Fenders, Reno Bighorns and Erie BayHawks, in addition to playing internationally in Serbia, Slovenia, Italy and the Philippines.

New Orleans’ roster now stands at 19.

Hawks waive Arsalan Kazemi and Edgar Sosa

The Atlanta Hawks have requested waivers on Arsalan Kazemi and Edgar Sosa, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations/Head Coach Mike Budenholzer.

Each player appeared in one preseason contest.

Lots of players around the league were signed to non-guaranteed contracts that merely brought them onto the team’s training camp/preseason roster. The vast majority of them will be waived in the next few weeks as teams trim their rosters for the regular season.