Orazio Cauchi: A couple of Euroleague clubs are monitoring the situation of German big man Isaiah Hartenstein, I’ve been told. The player was recently waived by the Rockets after averaging 4.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game this season.
Storyline: Isaiah Hartenstein Free Agency
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Brian Lewis: The #Nets are in dire need of frontcourt signings, and liked Isaiah Hartenstein before the draft. But despite him being a free-agent, he was waived after March 1 so is not eligible for the bubble, according to his agent Mike Naiditch. #NBA
Marc Stein: Isaiah Hartenstein has cleared waivers and is now and unrestricted free agent, league sources say
Alykhan Bijani: Isaiah Hartenstein on IG #Rockets pic.twitter.com/206KjqNd3e
Rockets waive Isaiah Hartenstein
Mark Berman: According to NBA sources the Rockets will sign 7-foot center Isaiah Hartenstein today. Played for Vipers in G League last season.
Following center Isaiah Hartenstein’s strong showing in the Rockets’ summer program and Summer League games in Las Vegas, the Rockets are working toward signing Hartenstein to an NBA deal with hopes they will reach agreement by the end of the week, according to a person with knowledge of the team’s plans.
Hartenstein, a 7-foot center, played for the Rockets’ Rio Grande Valley affiliate with a G League contract last season. Though the Rockets retain his draft rights, having selected Hartenstein in the second-round of the 2017 Draft, he is unsigned and could have chosen to return to Europe or to play another season in the G League.
July 10, 2020 | 9:00 pm EDT Update
Eric Woodyard: Jazz’s Joe Ingles said the first “48 hours sucked” of being in the Orlando bubble. “When you’re in the room for a couple months, it’s going to get stanky at times.” Says he was with his kids/family 48 hours before this, but the protocol leading up to clearance was “frustrating.”
Eric Woodyard: Jazz star Donovan Mitchell compares this experience to AAU basketball.
Eric Walden: Asked about the difference between yesterday’s practice and today’s, Donovan said this one was a bit more structured, a bit more oriented toward scene and lineup installation. Also, “just feeling the contact, that’s the biggest thing.”
Eric Woodyard: Donovan Mitchell says he continues to rely on Dwyane Wade for advice, but this situation is obviously unique in being away in Orlando bubble. When playoffs begin, he doesn’t think the runs will mean as much without fans so that’ll be a big difference from his other playoff games.
Kellan Olson: I asked Monty how this compares to training camp in Flagstaff and that second training camp they had between the preseason and regular season. He said he notices Book and DA are more comfortable leading now. They were learning 0.5 and other things like everyone else before.
Kellan Olson: Monty Williams laughed when he was asked about Cam Payne speaking on their close relationship in OKC because Monty said he was very tough on Payne as a young player. Liked the way he took it back then and said it played into his talks with Jones on signing Payne.
Gina Mizell: Dario Saric on the #Suns’ mindset in Orlando: “This team is full of young guys. Hungry dogs, I would say, who really want to play every game, who really want to practice every day. It kind of was easy for us, like a group, to come here, try to work hard.”
July 10, 2020 | 8:32 pm EDT Update
Erik Horne: Chris Paul on Andre Roberson being back in practice: “It’s the best thing ever. When I talk about a guy being consummate teammate, for a guy to go through all the things he’s been through, I’m so happy for him. He’s had some of the toughest times people wouldn’t even know.”
Erik Horne: Chris Paul on the team being back together: “Zoom calls are nice, but it’s nothing like seeing each other. We’ve got a special team. We genuinely love to be around each other. To get out on the court and hoop with each other was a breath of fresh air.”
Royce Young: Chris Paul said he thought the Mavs’ balcony dance party was the best social media post he’s seen so far: “To see them outside doing that, having a good time, the more we have those type of interactions and experiences I think the better we’ll make this.”
At long last, Jonathan Kuminga will announce his future plans. The 6-foot-8 native of the Democratic Republic of Congo will announce his next step on July 16 at 2 p.m., he announced on Twitter.
Kuminga, who did his work to reclassify to the Class of 2020 from 2021, recently listed Auburn, Duke, Kentucky, Texas Tech and the G League as his options. Multiple sources have said he is likely to sign with the G League for as much as $500,0000. He is the projected No. 4 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, per ESPN.com.
July 10, 2020 | 8:00 pm EDT Update
Jason Anderson: Kings coach Luke Walton says four members of the team’s 35-person travel party did not accompany team to Orlando and have not cleared NBA protocols after testing positive for COVID-19. He would not say who, but Buddy Hield, Alex Len and Jabari Parker all confirmed positive tests.
Brandon Rahbar: Danilo Gallinari says guys brought video games. But the coolest thing was Steven Adams bringing his guitar. He says he plays too so they’re gonna play together sometime. We need a zoom call with the Steven Gallo jam session.
Chris Mannix: On the social justice messages on the NBA’s jerseys: The league didn’t unilaterally choose what can/can’t be there. It was done in consultation w/the union. Some players wish there was more consultation (Jaylen Brown, Mike Scott) but this isn’t the NBA dictating anything.
July 10, 2020 | 7:38 pm EDT Update
Oleh Kosel: Alvin Gentry on whether all the Pelicans who traveled to Orlando tested negative: “Everyone’s here. I don’t really know the details of everything, but I know all of our guys are here and they’re ready to go.”
Mike Fisher: Carlisle on 1st #Mavs practice in Orlando Bubble: ‘We’re gonna have a great attitude about it. Could go down as one of the unique events in sports history. .. Facilities are great. First practice went really well.’ DAL will work again Sat at 2p ET.
As NBA teams get situated in the Orlando bubble, one question that has persisted since the start of the coronavirus pandemic is not only what happens if a player tests positive for the virus but also what lingering effects might follow. “There are unknown effects it has on lung capacity, unknown effects it has on cardiac health,” said one NBA general manager of a team entering the bubble, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “What if a 24-year-old catches it in Orlando and, in 14 days, he quarantines and is fine, but then he has these everlasting heart problems? [Or he] gets winded so easily, or he becomes a little bit too susceptible to fatigue. …These are all the unknowns.”
Each case will be handled based on its own needs, but John DiFiori, the NBA’s Director of Sports Medicine, told ESPN that the timeline for any player to return from a confirmed positive case is at least two weeks. “Everyone needs to understand that if someone were to test positive, it’s quite likely that they won’t return to the court for a minimum of two weeks — minimum,” said DiFiori, who is also the Chief of Primary Sports Medicine and attending physician at New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery. “It may be even a little longer than that, depending on the individual circumstances, and then you need some time to get reconditioned.”
Are NBA players’ hearts more at risk? “We have no reason to believe that any athlete is at higher risk for a complication and cardiac complications related to the coronavirus than anyone else,” DiFiori said. “There’s no reason that we know that would suggest that right now.”
Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was shot and killed by Louisville police executing a search warrant on March 13. Nearly four months later, the three police officers involved in Taylor’s death haven’t been arrested. Athletes across the country have been calling for justice for Taylor, including Warriors superstar Steph Curry. On Friday, while playing in the American Century Championship golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, Curry wore special shoes that honored the memory of Taylor.
Curry was asked about his tribute to Taylor during NBCSN’s broadcast. “Obviously not to forget to Breonna Taylor in terms of finding justice for her,” Curry said. “As life goes on, we’re all using our platform to shed light on the injustices going on and I wanted to use this opportunity to celebrate her life and try to continue the impact everyone is trying to have in terms of continuing this meaningful conversation of how we make change for ourselves, the next generation and our kids.”
July 10, 2020 | 7:26 pm EDT Update
Brandon Rahbar: Billy Donovan on the first Thunder media call in Orlando: “Andre did practice today. Went through everything. He looked really good. We’ll see how he develops.” Sounds promising. But there’s still doubt. Seems like a real 50-50.
Jovan Buha: Doc Rivers says the Clippers are bringing 15 players — not 17. Their two two-way players, Amir Coffey and Johnathan Motley, aren’t coming to Orlando.
Mirjam Swanson: Paul George talking with the media via Zoom: “For a long time guys were stuck on we play ball and that’s it, I don’t want to get into that lane and talk politics.” That’s changed, he said, crediting leaders among players and league for that. “It’s made for a great partnership.”
Jovan Buha: Reggie Jackson said he shot around at Paul George’s second LA home, which was primarily unoccupied, during quarantine to try to stay as sharp as possible.
Ohm Youngmisuk: Montrezl Harrell might be the leader in the NBA clubhouse of what he brought with him to Orlando. Reggie Jackson says Montrezl somehow managed to bring a “portable sauna” with him while Lou Williams has a personal studio.
July 10, 2020 | 6:10 pm EDT Update
Andrew Greif: Paul George said he felt “insecurities” throughout the season because his repaired shoulders didn’t feel quite right. He says he now feels “great again.” “Feeling back to myself again.”
Andrew Greif: Paul George: “I think our aspirations, this time off has given us what we needed. We had some guys that were banged up, nagging injuries. The more time gave us more time to aid those injuries and to get back to 100.”
Jim Eichenhofer: Alvin Gentry on #Pelicans multi-week preparation for restart: “Planning practicing 20 days in advance is pretty tough. By the 30th, we want to make sure we’re back in basketball shape, back in basketball timing and everyone is feeling good about shooting the ball and defensively”
Anthony Chiang: Fox Sports Sun announces it will air all three Heat scrimmage games, but the second (vs. Jazz on July 25) will be on tape delay. All eight Heat “seeding” games will also be on Fox Sports Sun.
July 10, 2020 | 5:18 pm EDT Update
Woodson, 62, the former Knicks head coach, is among several candidates who’ve met with team brass via video conference. Woodson, like frontrunner Tom Thibodeau, has a connection to team president Leon Rose and top Knicks executive William Wesley because they represented him at CAA as agents. It’s possible that Woodson, who owns the highest winning percentage of a Knicks coach since Jeff Van Gundy, is hired as an assistant if he’s bypassed for the top job.
“I was just hoping one day to get a shot to come back and I think this is a wonderful opportunity now,” Woodson said recently on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “I thank the Knicks for reaching out to me and putting me in position. That’s all you can ask for as a coach when you go out and start interviewing for these jobs. So I’m excited about it, I really am.”
Mike Miller, the current Knicks interim head coach, interviewed Tuesday for the full-time position, sources told The News. Tom Thibodeau, Jason Kidd, Will Hardy and Chris Fleming have also been formally interviewed, according to sources and various reports.
Harrison Wind: More from Malone today: “The good thing for us is we’ve already clinched a playoff berth. We want to win as many games as we can going into the playoffs, kind of get a rhythm back, but not at the expense of putting guys at risk of injuring themselves.”
Chris Grenham: Jaylen Brown says there was a lot of high energy, especially from the younger players, at the Celtics first practice.
