After an examination Saturday, the Spurs medical staff downgraded second-round pick Chimezie Metu’s left wrist injury from a sprain to a fracture, a league source said Saturday.
Storyline: Chimezie Metu Injury
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The Spurs medical staff confirmed Saturday that second-round draft pick Chimezie Metu fractured his left wrist during action at the Las Vegas Summer League, a league source said. Metu was injured late in the Spurs’ 95-90 win over Washington on Sunday, when he landed awkwardly after leaping to catch a lob pass at the rim.
After undergoing X-rays on Sunday at UNLV, Metu was diagnosed with a wrist sprain. But Spurs team doctors suspected a possible fracture and an examination on Saturday after Metu returned from Las Vegas confirmed it. Metu has been fitted with a cast. The injury is not considered serious.
Tom Orsborn: #Spurs medical staff will examine Chimezie Metu’s sprained left wrist for a possible fracture after he returns to San Antonio on Saturday.
Paul Garcia: The Spurs have announced Derrick White, Lonnie Walker IV, and Chimezie Metu are all OUT today for the Spurs’ last SL game due to injury.
When the team resumes tournament play Thursday against Milwaukee, Metu will be in street clothes. “It sucks,” said Metu, the high-energy center the Spurs selected 49th overall out of USC in June. “I can go play right now. They said it might be fractured, but honestly it feels perfectly fine.”
Metu said he understands the Spurs’ caution but is frustrated by what he views as a missed opportunity. “I’m kind of bummed,” Metu said. “They’re being cautious for good reasons. I trust them. At the same time, I feel like there’s a lot more I could go out there and show.”
July 19, 2018 | 10:39 am EDT Update
Shams Charnia: Restricted free agent Marcus Smart has agreed to a four-year, $52M deal to return to the Boston Celtics, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
Mark Murphy: Source: Smart and Celtics agree to four-year deal for $52 million.
Multiple league executives say the Spurs were prioritizing scoring in all prospective trade packages for Leonard, not picks or unproven players.
Spanish national team head coach Sergio Scariolo will join the Toronto Raptors with the role of an assistant coach. This will be Scariolo’s first full-time coaching job in the NBA. Per David Camps of Spanish radio Onda Cero, Scariolo has already informed the Spanish Federation of his decision. The Italian coach is expected to meet with Spanish Federation president (and a former Toronto Raptors player by the way) Jorge Garbajosa in the following days to discuss the termination of his contract with the FEB ahead of the Second Round of the World Cup Qualifiers that begins on September.
July 19, 2018 | 8:54 am EDT Update
Mark Murphy: Source says Danny Ainge and Happy Walters are meeting tiday in Boston.
Bobby Marks: A side note to the Kawhi Leonard trade. Reporting and passing a physical (a team cannot give a physical before the trade call) is a requirement (standard procedure) for both teams. The trade is not official until both conditions are met.
