Detroit Pistons: @JColeNC we see you out here. You said they only got 12 slots on the Pistons. Hit us up for that tryout. This is for all the dreamers @bleacherreport #Dreamville
Storyline: Training Camp Invitations
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The Memphis Grizzlies announced today that the team signed forward Bennie Boatwright. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. In addition, the team waived guard Shaq Buchanan.
The Bucks have signed guard Trevor Lacey. Lacey, 27, played the last two seasons in Russia with Lokomotiv Kuban after starting his professional career in the Italian League in 2015. He played collegiately at Alabama (2011-13) and North Carolina State (2014-15).
Jonathan Feigen: The Rockets announce they have signed Matur Maker, the younger brother of Thon and older brother of Makur. The future Viper played in Slovenia and Switzerland the past two seasons.
The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed guards Skyler Flatten and Bubu Palo. Per club policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed. Flatten played his entire collegiate career at South Dakota State, appearing in 33 games (all starts) as a senior last season and averaged 15.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.24 steals and 36.5 minutes while shooting 51.7 percent from the field, 44 percent from three-point range and 68.3 percent from the foul line.
The Portland Trail Blazers have signed forward Keljin Blevins to a training camp contract, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey. Blevins, 23, appeared in three games for the Trail Blazers during the 2019 NBA Summer League, totaling five points, three rebounds and one steal in 28 minutes. Undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft, Blevins (6-6, 200) played two seasons at The University of Southern Mississippi (2014-16) before transferring to Montana State.
The San Antonio Spurs today announced their 2019-20 training camp roster. The current Spurs roster stands at 19 players and includes the additions of Daulton Hommes and Dedric Lawson.
Thunder add four to training camp roster
The Oklahoma City Thunder signed guard/forward DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell, guard Abdul Gaddy, forward Myke Henry and forward/center Eric Moreland, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. Per team policy, terms of the agreements were not released.
Keith Smith: I’ve gotten a bunch of questions about how Boston has 22 guys on their camp roster after signing Bryce Brown and John Bohannon. The easy answer is: they don’t. Kaiser Gates and Yante Maten never officially signed with the Celtics. Still could happen, but Boston is at 20 for now.
Chris Haynes: Undrafted free agent forward Simi Shittu — a McDonald’s All American — has agreed to a camp deal with the Chicago Bulls, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
Olgun Uluc: FWIW: I’m told William McDowell-White’s contract with the Houston Rockets was converted to a two-way, then back to an Exhibit 10. It’s a little loophole so the Rockets can add addendums to the contract and sign additional players.
Kelly Iko: In a change of plans, Luc Mbah a Moute will not be making the trip to Vegas for Rockets minicamp. He was expected to join a group of veterans including Nick Young, Thabo Sefalosha, and others.
Jon Krawczynski: Jordan Murphy has been around the Wolves all summer working out. He will be with the team in camp/preseason on an Exhibit 10 deal. Non-guaranteed, but positions him for Iowa if he doesn’t make the team.
Murphy signed a contract with the Timberwolves, the team announced Monday, agreeing to an Exhibit 10 contract, a source said. An Exhibit 10 contract is non-guaranteed, but Murphy will attend Wolves training camp. If he is waived, an Exhibit 10 deal makes it possible for him to earn up to $50,000 in bonuses playing for the Wolves’ G-League affiliate in Iowa. Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted into two-way NBA deals.
Adam Zagoria: The #Knicks announced the signing of Amir Hinton, Lamar Peters, VJ King And Kenny Wooten. Training camp starts 10-1.
The San Antonio Spurs have signed free agent guard Jeff Ledbetter to an Exhibit 10 deal, a league source told Sportando.
JD Shaw: The Phoenix Suns and forward Haywood Highsmith have agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract, source told @HoopsRumors . News of Phoenix being expected to sign him was first reported by @ginamizell .
Former St. John’s guard Justin Simon will sign an Exhibit-10 contract Thursday with the Chicago Bulls, per league sources. Simon will be in training camp with the Bulls and play during the preseason, and then is expected to land with the Bulls G League team.
Misko Raznatovic: Mexican player, Juan Toscano signed Exhibit 10 contract with Golden State Warriors! #BeoBasket
Miami, which has been cycling through a few young prospects, has four open roster spots to use for training camp invitations and if it chooses, two-way contracts. The Heat is expected to allow training camp invites – including Heat summer league players Kyle Alexander, Chris Silva and Jeremiah Martin – to compete for at least one two-way contract.
Emiliano Carchia: London Perrantes is planning on attending training camp with the Portland Trail Blazers, a source told Sportando. Perrantes spent last season in France between Limoges CSP and Cholet
The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to an Exhibit 10 training camp deal with center Marques Bolden, league sources tell cleveland.com. After not being selected in the 2019 NBA Draft, Bolden played for the Cavaliers during summer league. He will now come to training camp to compete for one of the final roster spots. Following JR Smith’s departure, the Cavs have 13 players under contract, two below the maximum number allowed. The Cavs also have an open two-way contract.
Bolden, 6-foot-11, averaged 6.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in summer league action. Because of Cleveland’s roster makeup, Bolden will be one of the few bigs invited to training camp. Last week, the team agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with shooting guard J.P. Macura, who will also be looking to claim one of the final spots. According to sources, the Cavs are not expecting to have a full roster going into the season opener. They have a few minimum-level players on their radar for the 14th spot, but nothing lined up quite yet. They might even wait until after camp to see which players get released from other NBA teams.
Emiliano Carchia: New York Knicks sign Billy Garrett to an Exhibit 10 deal
Marc J. Spears: The New York Knicks have signed guard John Jenkins.
Tony Jones: The Utah Jazz have signed Isaiah Cousins
Sean Cunningham: Cam Reynolds has joined the Kings training camp roster and is working out on Day 1. Former Kings assistant coach TR Dunn also observing practice alongside his former player Peja Stokakovic. pic.twitter.com/rTdIeczQEV
The Memphis Grizzlies signed forward Ismaila Kane, General Manager Chris Wallace announced today. Kane (6-9, 200) appeared in 13 games last season for Atlanta Metropolitan of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and averaged 14.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.69 blocks. The Senegalese native went unselected in the 2018 NBA Draft.
The Chicago Bulls have signed free agents Kaiser Gates and JaKarr Sampson to round out their 2018-19 training camp roster. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed. Gates (6-8, 227) played in three games on the Bulls’ 2018 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League team, averaging 6.7 points per game. Prior to his Summer League experience, Gates played three seasons at Xavier (2015-18), appearing in in 97 games (22 starts). He finished his career with an average of 5.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Gates’ statistical averages improved in each season at Xavier, averaging 7.2 points, 4.6 rebounds per game and scoring in double figures in 11 games in his final season. As a junior in 2017-18, his .378 shooting percentage from behind the arc ranked second on the Big East-champion Musketeers.
The L.A. Clippers today announced their 2018-19 training camp roster. The team signed free-agent forward Desi Rodriguez to bring the roster to 20 players. Rodriguez, 22, played four collegiate seasons at Seton Hall University, appearing in 129 games (97 starts) and averaging 12.8 points and 4.9 rebounds, while shooting 36 percent from three-point range in 26.3 minutes. The 6’6”, 220-pound swingman was named to the Second Team All-Big East as a senior, after averaging 17.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in his final collegiate season. A native of the Bronx, NY, Rodriguez went undrafted in 2018.
KC Johnson: Bulls training camp roster pic.twitter.com/Vqq6rNgbuf
James Ham: Kings announce 2018-19 Training Camp roster: pic.twitter.com/WvoViMtXVO
Will Guillory: The 2018-19 Pelicans training camp roster pic.twitter.com/oqhNCkZj6I
Charlotte Hornets General Manager & President of Basketball Operations, Mitch Kupchak, announced the team’s 2018 training camp roster. The training camp roster stands at 19. The Charlotte Hornets will hold Training Camp at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 25. The team’s training camp roster is listed below.
Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace today announced the team’s roster for Grizzlies 2018 Training Camp, presented by Mid-South Ford Dealers. The Grizzlies will hold training camp from Sept. 25-28 at the Grizzlies Built Ford Tough Training Facility inside FedExForum. The Grizzlies’ training camp roster, included below, will be available to the media at the team’s annual Media Day starting at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 24 at FedExForum along with coaches, players and select members of the front office.
James Edwards III: Here is the #Pistons’ training camp roster, the ones who have officially agreed to terms: pic.twitter.com/kYE6Ec3p3g
The Milwaukee Bucks have signed free agents Tim Frazier, Shabazz Muhammad and Christian Wood to complete their 20-man roster for training camp, which tips-off on Tuesday, Sept. 25 from the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Sports Science Center.
Ian Begley: Columbia’s Jeff Coby has agreed to a deal with the Knicks, league sources confirm. Coby, a Hatian National Team standout, has worked out w/the Knicks in informal sessions recently and impressed the staff. The Coby agreement was first reported by @NicolaLupo99.
Chris Grenham: Source: Former Providence forward and Celtics draft pick Ben Bentil has received a training camp invite from the Milwaukee Bucks. Bentil spent last season in France and Spain. #pcbb
Nicola Lupo: Former Columbia forward Jeff Coby will sign a deal with the New York Knicks, according to a source. He spent his rookie season in Spain.
Candace Buckner: Lavoy Allen has signed a training camp deal with the #Wizards, The Post has learned. He’s been in Washington for a week working out with the players and must have impressed the Wiz to the point that they gave him with camp invite. Allen will compete for the final roster spot.
Nuggets to sign Donald Sloan
Adrian Wojnarowski: As Isaiah Thomas continues to rehab his hip, Denver is signing veteran guard Donald Sloan to a training camp deal, league sources tell ESPN. Denver has 15 guaranteed contracts.
Warriors adding Will Cherry
Will Cherry is expected to join the Golden State Warriors on an Exhibit 10 contract, a source told Sportando. The guard, who has played 8 games with Cavs in 2014-2015, spent last season with KK Cedevita in Croatia averaging 10.5 points in the domestic league, 11.1 points in AB Liga and 11.8 points with 4 assists in EuroCup.
Brian Lewis: Nuni Omut, a strong candidate for the #Nets last training camp spot, is a 6-9 Baylor product who shot 43.3% from deep, fifth in the Big 12, and a league-best 48.1% in conference play.
The San Antonio Spurs have signed Amida Brimah and Julian Washburn to training camp deals. Both players will be on Exhibit 10 deals. Brimah was with the Spurs for preseason in 2017 and then played for the Austin Spurs of the G League. Washburn was previously with the Spurs in 2015 and played for their G League team in 15-16 and 17-18.
Darren Wolfson: This isn’t the #Twolves news most of you are craving today, but I will still pass it along: Darius Johnson-Odom has remained in town to workout following his recent tryout. A friend of Butler’s from their Marquette days together, he could be added to the training camp roster. pic.twitter.com/Ge4HjX9UDi
Darnell Mayberry: Another addition to the Bulls’ training camp roster: JaKarr Sampson, The Athletic has learned. Sampson, a 6-9 forward and three-year veteran, appeared in 22 games with Sacramento last season. He’ll come to Chicago competing for a roster spot.
Keith Smith: Source: The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Jacorey Williams. Williams was signed by Cleveland late in the offseason last year before being waived at the end of the preseason. He then played for the Canton Charge of the NBAGL.
Darnell Mayberry: The Bulls have agreed to a training camp deal with former Xavier forward Kaiser Gates, The Athletic has learned. Gates played on the Bulls’ summer league roster after forgoing the final year of his collegiate eligibility. He shot 37.8% from 3 on 4.2 attempts per game last year.
Cleveland has reached its limit of 20 players for camp, including former Notre Dame standout Bonzi Colson. Former University of Dayton star and Canton Charge alum Scoochie Smith and Isaac Hamilton, another Charge player from last year, also signed camp deals. Smith and Hamilton each received “exhibit 10 contracts,” which means they get a $50,000 bonus if they’re waived by the Cavs and signed to the Charge. Real GM first reported their signings.
Keith Smith: Source: The Los Angeles Clippers have signed forward Desi Rodriguez to a training camp contract. Rodriguez went undrafted out of Seton Hall at the 2018 NBA Draft. Rodriguez is signing an Exhibit 10 contract per source.
Jerry Zgoda: Veteran center Cole Aldrich says tonight he has signed to go to camp with Atlanta. When he was waived by the Wolves in June, he had some hope he’d still be back with his hometown team this season.
Sources tell CelticsBlog’s Keith Smith that the Boston Celtics have signed Justin Bibbs, Nick King, and Jeff Roberson to training camp deals.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Chinanu Onuaku, Cam Oliver and Gary Payton II have agreed to training camp deals with Portland, league sources tell ESPN.
Andy Larsen: Jazz announce they’ve signed Trey Lewis. It’ll be a training camp contract, then he’ll likely be waived and head to the SLC Stars.
Hawks adding Thomas Robinson
Shams Charania: Sources: Free agent forward Thomas Robinson is signing a non-guaranteed deal with the Atlanta Hawks.
The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed forward Marcus Lee. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Lee began his collegiate career at the University of Kentucky before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley for his senior season where he appeared in 32 games (all starts) with the Golden Bears last season and averaged 11.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.63 blocks, 1.3 assists and 27.8 minutes while shooting 56.3 percent from the field.
Tim Reynolds: Heat agreeing with former Kentucky forward Marcus Lee on a deal, so he will be in camp.
Mark Berman: Former @UHCougarMBK G Rob Gray says he has a “training camp contract” w/ #Rockets. After training camp it could be more if they sign me to the roster on a 1-year deal. If not I’ll be on their G-League team.Either way I should be a part of the organization& continue to get better”
Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed rookie free agent guard Rob Gray. Gray (6-1, 185) was eligible for the 2018 NBA Draft following his senior season at the University of Houston. He played for the Rockets during the 2018 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
Shams Charania: Sources: Undrafted Georgetown forward Marcus Derrickson has agreed to sign with the Warriors on an Exhibit 10 contract. He averaged 13 points/five rebounds in eight summer league games for Golden State.
Continuing their backcourt overhaul this off-season, the Cleveland Cavaliers agreed to a one-year non-guaranteed deal with point guard Isaiah Taylor late Thursday night, a league source confirmed to cleveland.com. Taylor, 24, is the latest addition to a crowded perimeter. According to a source familiar with the team’s thinking, Taylor is committed to attending Cavaliers training camp, where he will compete for the third point guard spot.
Jordan McLaughlin, a 6’2” senior point guard from USC, has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Nets, essentially a camp invite. The signing brings to 19 players with either agreements or signed contracts, including 15 guaranteed deals.
In addition to McLaughlin, the Nets have either an agreement or signed contract with three players, Theo Pinson, 6’7” swingman out of North Carolina; Tyler Davis, 6’10” center out of Texas A&M, and Mitch Creek, 6’5” guard who played for the Adelaide 36ers of the Australian League.
The Milwaukee Bucks have signed guard Jaylen Morris to a Two-Way contract. The team also signed free agent center Brandon McCoy and guard Travis Trice to training camp contracts. Morris, 22, appeared in six games with the Atlanta Hawks last season and averaged 4.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 16.4 minutes per game.
Nets Daily: Nets are signing Australian star Mitch Creek to a training camp invite, according to league source. Creek is a 26 year old SG who played last year in Australia and Germany.
Charlotte Hornets President of Basketball Operations & General Manager Mitch Kupchak announced today that the team has signed guard Joe Chealey to the team’s training camp roster. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Chealey, an undrafted free agent out of the College of Charleston, participated in the 2018 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League with the Hornets. In four games, he averaged 6.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 17.4 minutes per game. The Orlando, Florida, native played in 129 collegiate games over four years (2014-18) for the Cougars, finishing his career with averages of 14.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 31.1 minutes per game.
Charlotte Hornets President of Basketball Operations & General Manager Mitch Kupchak announced today that the team has signed guard Jaylen Barford and forwards Zach Smith and Isaiah Wilkins to the team’s training camp roster. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. In two years at Arkansas, the 6-3 Barford averaged 15.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 28.3 minutes per game in 71 contests. An undrafted free agent, Barford recorded averages of 17.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 35 games as a senior in 2017-18. The Jackson, Tennessee, native finished the season amongst the SEC leaders in the following categories: field goals made (first, 224), points scored (third, 628), points per game (third, 17.9), three-point field goals (fourth, 87) and field goal percentage (sixth, .470). As a junior, he averaged 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
Jeremy Woo: Source: Arizona wing Rawle Alkins has agreed to a training camp deal with the Toronto Raptors.
Brad Turner: The Clippers signed guard Ike Iroegbu contract to play on their G-League team. He’ll be in uniform for Clips tonight against the Lakers.
Jonathan Feigen: Rockets signed forward Danuel House Jr. He was not in camp with any team so they will have the G League rights to him if he is released.
The Sacramento Kings have signed guards Reggie Hearn and David Stockton, the team announced today.
The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed DeAndre Liggins. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Liggins, who was originally signed by the HEAT to two 10-day contracts in 2014, spent two seasons with Miami’s NBA G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, helping them capture the 2016 Championship after appearing in 34 games (33 starts) and averaging 13.0 points, 7.0 assists, 6.3 rebounds, 2.06 steals and 38.4 minutes while shooting 42.8 percent from the field, 43.4 percent from three-point range and 71.1 percent from the foul line.
Marc D’Amico: The #Celtics have signed Daniel Dixon.
Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace today announced that the Grizzlies signed guard Durand Scott and waived guard Jeremy Morgan.
Mavs guard Gian Clavell to make opening-day roster?
Earl K. Sneed: Rick Carlisle says Gian Clavell is “making a strong statement” to make the team. #DALvsCHI
By cutting Williams, the Cavs can keep center Kendrick Perkins in camp. Perkins, a friend of LeBron James, is trying to make an NBA comeback after missing last season. With Cleveland’s roster constructed as is, Perkins’ chance of making the team is small. The Cavs will have to waive or trade a player with a guaranteed contract before the start of the season because of Wade’s arrival. Wade is expected to clear waivers at 5 p.m. Wednesday and sign with the Cavs.
Bronson Koenig will sign a training camp contract with the Bulls, according to ESPN.
Houston Rockets: ROSTER UPDATE: Rockets have signed free agent guard George de Paula. He played on this season’s Rockets Summer League team.
Fourteen of the roster spots are accounted for by players on guaranteed deals. The last slot, though, is up for grabs. Over the next three weeks, six players — Joel Anthony, Gerald Green, Kendall Marshall, Gary Payton II, Brandon Rush and James Young — will compete to earn a place on the team. Five of those players have multiple years of NBA experience, with Anthony and Green each with 10 years in the league, Rush with nine, Marshall with four and Young with three. Payton, a rookie last season, may not be as long in the tooth, but he is the incumbent, so to speak, considering he signed with the Bucks late last season and has been with the team all summer.
It’s possible the Bucks could keep three of the six players under their control. With both of their two-way contracts open, the Bucks could add Young and Payton — each of whom fit the criteria of have three years or fewer of NBA experience — in those two-way spots. That would allow them to spend most of their time in the G League with the Wisconsin Herd while easily moving up to the Bucks if needed. That’s a scenario that has not yet been discussed with Payton or Young, who are focused on making the NBA roster. For Payton, that means defending the spot that’s been his this summer. “All these guys know what it takes to make a team,” Payton said. “For me, it’s just to do what I do best, lock down and play defense and do what I can and just play and compete.”
Bill Herenda: #Kings announce signing of Marcus Williams
August 8, 2020 | 9:01 am EDT Update
Tyronn Lue, Jason Kidd options for Pelicans?
How about Alvin Gentry and the New Orleans Pelicans? Executive VP David Griffin and Pelicans ownership have a decision to make with a year left on Gentry’s contract, sources said. Consider two relationships Griffin has back to his front-office days in Cleveland and Phoenix, respectively, if there’s a change in New Orleans: LA Clippers assistant Ty Lue and Los Angeles Lakers assistant Jason Kidd, sources said.
The NBA has told teams that the plan remains to start on Dec. 1, but pushing back that date would require a level of confidence that a delay would ultimately result in the reopening of arenas to the public. If so, the NBA would be willing to hold back the start — perhaps even months. An opening night of Martin Luther King Jr. Day — Jan. 18 — is a consideration. February and March are realistic too if a combination of vaccines, therapeutics and rapid-response testing for COVID-19 could contribute to the possibility of public gatherings.
There’s hope for vaccines, but the league has prepared teams for the reality that mass distribution would be unlikely for a full year, sources said. For now too there’s a skepticism about the reliability of rapid-response testing. They’re hopeful that advances in the technology could facilitate ways to get fans into arenas — even if it means less than capacity. Teams are already modeling options that include a few thousand fans to buildings filled closer to capacity.
The NBA will consider playing games in practice facilities that are more cost effective and more easily repurposed for television, sources said. Another idea: What if some markets could house fans, but others can’t? That has opened a conversation about neutral-site games. NBA teams could move operations to other league cities — or more likely, non-NBA markets — that could allow for paying customers.
Olympic hiatus in the middle of the season?
For now, here’s one idea on the league’s whiteboard, sources said: If the NBA believes it can significantly push back the start of the season to buy time on getting fans back into arenas, they’ve brainstormed the idea of a month-long Olympic break reminiscent of how the NHL has handled the Winter Olympics.
Were those teams chasing the Western Conference’s play-in tournament thrilled with the Utah Jazz’s decision to sit four starters with injuries and rest center Rudy Gobert in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs? Among teams trying to catch the Memphis Grizzlies for the eighth seed, they were somewhere between displeased and livid, sources said. The Jazz violated nothing of the league’s resting rules with Gobert, and properly documented injuries to four more starters, but the optics of the starting five sitting out in an eminently winnable game against the Spurs were harsh.
Is the Orlando bubble a possible destination for the eight teams left out of the restart to run offseason training camps once the first batch of 22 teams are eliminated? The NBPA has no interest in that idea, sources said. It’s a non-starter. The inevitable solution for the eight teams left out of Orlando: The NBA and NBPA agreeing upon voluntary workouts in the team facilities, sources said. The NBPA won’t agree to mandatory reporting for players on the eight teams outside of the restart but will eventually allow it on a voluntary level, sources said. Several of the teams are frustrated and angry over how far they feel they’re falling behind the teams in the bubble, and are aggressively voicing that to the league office.
Grizzlies star rookie Ja Morant, meanwhile, awoke Friday in a terrible mood. It was his daughter Kaari’s first birthday and he, of course, would not be there to celebrate. He, like Pop, is in the bubble. “I talked with my parents and told them it was probably one of the toughest days of my life, not being able to be at my daughter’s first birthday party,” Morant said.
On Friday, Patty Mills did not play. He is not injured, but is sitting games out intermittently so younger players can get a chance, according to a team official. LaMarcus Aldridge is out for the season after shoulder surgery. DeMar DeRozan, who turned 31 on Friday, scored 13 points. Marco Belinelli returned after missing the last three games with a sore foot.
Former Rocket Kostas Papanikolaou has coronavirus
Olympiacos Piraeus announced that forward Kostas Papanikolaou tested positive for COVID-19. Papanikolaou was found to be carrying the coronavirus during the testing ahead of the team’s preseason preparation.
Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., wrote to the commissioner of the NBA on Thursday, demanding answers over the organization’s relationship to a basketball training camp in the Xinjiang region in China — and accusing the organization of having misled lawmakers. In the letter, dated Thursday, the senators say “it is our understanding that the NBA has not been forthcoming with members of the Senate regarding questions surrounding the NBA’s relationship with the Xinjiang basketball academy.”
August 8, 2020 | 4:02 am EDT Update
Regional bubbles next season?
We’re a ways off from next season, but league sources have told me that the NBA is looking at options that include creating regional bubbles, should the COVID-19 pandemic still prevent normal business in the fall. Teams would report to a bubble for short stints—around a month—which would be followed by 1-2 weeks off. Ideally, the NBA would like to play an 82-game schedule that starts in December. A December start would allow the league to end the season in late June, putting the NBA back on a normal schedule and, importantly, not compete with the Olympics next summer. The players union is expected to take issue with that, preferring teams, particularly those making deep playoff runs, have more time off.
The NBA could reportedly delay the start of next season – currently planned for Dec. 1 – if fan attendance becomes foreseeable. How long would the league wait? Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times: one plan includes starting in March if the NBA feels they can get fans in the arena by then, as well as not lose personnel and viewership to the Summer Olympics.
Kevin Durant gets $1 million bonus
Bobby Marks: Kevin Durant has earned a $1M bonus with Brooklyn now clinching a playoff spot. The bonus before the season was considered likely and will not impact his $40.1M cap hit for 2020-21.
For the Heat, COVID-19 hasn’t been an issue since Derrick Jones Jr., Bam Adebayo and Kendrick Nunn returned after testing positive for the virus in June while in Miami – something each of them subsequently disclosed. (Nunn is now out for other reasons, as detailed below.) But that doesn’t mean there haven’t been some behind-the-scenes glitches. According to a league source briefed by a member of the Heat’s traveling party, at least four Heat players have had some uneasy moments or been ensnared in COVID testing glitches, with the Heat and the players not at fault for any of those.
Multiple Heat players have received inconclusive test results or false positives, according to the source. Those players have subsequently tested negative in each of two additional tests and were permitted to join the team for practice after those two additional tests.
Heat guard Kendrick Nunn will miss Saturday’s game against Phoenix for personal reasons and has left the NBA bubble, according to multiple sources. Erik Spoelstra did not mention any issue with Nunn during a Zoom session earlier in the day. Nunn – who previously confirmed he tested positive for COVID-19 in June – has left the bubble for reasons unrelated to COVID-19, according to a source. He’s expected back soon, according to another source, but it’s undetermined how many days he would be required to quarantine when he returns.
Durant, who didn’t play at all this 2019-20, said he’d like to see a panel of ex-coaches or ex-players involved in choosing awards moving forward. “To me, if you’re averaging 30 points a game, you’ve gotta be one of the 15 best players in the league,” Kevin Durant said about Bradley Beal’s All-NBA case during an interview on Elite Media Group’s Play For Keeps Podcast (via SNY). “That’s hard to do. I know the pace and more shots up and it’s somewhat easier to do (in today’s game) but it’s still hard to average 30.”
“In between games I got three texts from Michael…saying, ‘I have to be better, I can do better, stay with me,’ all those things,” Malone explained. “I said, ‘Michael, I’m not going anywhere. I’m gonna stay with you. You’re a hell of a young player and you’re gonna continue to grow.’” “I just told him that I could bring a lot more,” Porter said of the texts he sent Malone. “I didn’t bring the energy, I didn’t bring the effort and enthusiasm last game, and that can never be the case.” “I just told him that I know that, and especially with Jamal and Gary and Will out, I gotta be a guy that steps up and kind of takes on a role,” Porter added. “So I told him I understand that, and it would not happen again.”
Joel Rush: “He’s young, he’s gonna learn the game, he’s gonna learn the calls, he’s gonna learn everything, you know. He’s a big target for me. I really like to play with him. He’s a really good shooter, he’s attacking the glass, he’s a talented player.” -Nikola Jokic on Michael Porter Jr.
At 1-4 in the NBA restart, the Kings have shown they aren’t ready for the fire and they might not be ready for prime time. “I think it starts with individual accountability, just in terms of the effort we are putting out there on a consistent basis,” veteran Harrison Barnes said following the Kings’ 119-106 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. “It’s hard to win in this league and to be consistent, you have to do that every single night.”
“Frustration is high,” Barnes admitted. “I don’t know if it’s disappointing, but it’s frustrating. Coming into this game, we knew it was more mental than physical. It was meeting force with force. It was being disciplined. It didn’t matter what scheme we had or what game plan we had if we didn’t have any effort.”
“This is kind of how the playoff games are looking like and everyone reads the scouting report,” guard Bogdan Bogdanovic said. “And there’s no real place for mistakes, those simple mistakes, turnovers, missing wide-open shots or missing layups or missing free throws. Everything is important here.”
It’s nice to hear about Jeffries’ plans for the future because sometimes it can be hard to hear him at all. He is notoriously quiet and reserved. In Stockton, Ellis would occasionally designate practices where only Jeffries was allowed to talk. He wanted the 22-year-old prospect to come out of his shell and lead with his words, not just his actions. “When I first got here, or when I first got to the league, I was pretty hesitant to speak up on anything like that,” Jeffries said. “But I feel like as time went on I spent more time with the guys and during practice I felt more comfortable.”
Duane Rankin: “It’s very disrespectful.” T.J. Warren talks on @NBAonTNT about the #Suns trading him for cash considerations. pic.twitter.com/hxZOOgPMen
The Philadelphia 76ers have no clarity on how long All-Star forward Ben Simmons will be sidelined after partially dislocating his left knee cap. For the sake of preparing his team for the postseason, however, has Sixers coach Brett Brown told his players to brace for the worst-case scenario? “No,” Brown told USA TODAY Sports following the Sixers’ 114-108 win over the Orlando Magic on Friday. “Everybody thinks different things, so I don’t want to be full of (BS) and say, ‘No, everybody thinks he’s playing tomorrow.’ People know we were just trying to play tonight knowing we didn’t have Ben and that we’re going to learn more later. But no is the short answer.”
The Miami Heat will be without Jimmy Butler for a third consecutive game Saturday against Phoenix, while Goran Dragic is getting closer to a return from an ankle injury. Erik Spoelstra said on Friday that there was “no change” in the status of Butler, who has missed two games with what the team is now officially listing as foot soreness. A source said it’s primarily the ankle that is bothering him.
Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, told The Miami Herald on Friday: “Jimmy had his final scan yesterday. And we understand what he’s dealing with. And he’s working his butt off to get back on the floor ASAP and to be ready for the playoffs.”
Speaking of coaches, they have spoken—and polos should be here to stay. Several head coaches told me they love the new semi-casual sideline attire approved by the league for the restart. Erik Spoelstra says not only is it more comfortable, it’s more functional for coaches who move around a lot. Scott Brooks said while he was initially against it, he has enjoyed dressing down in Orlando.
Stephen Curry to have his own brand?
I’ve been told by a “sneakerhead” source in China that Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry will soon have his own brand under the umbrella of Under Armour, just like how Michael Jordan has his Jordan Brand at Nike. His new “Curry8 Flow” is supposed to drop sometime in the Fall. I have heard both August and September as possible release time frames, so I don’t have strong intel on that.
Stephen Curry: Trust the process! Welcome to the signature shoe family, @JoelEmbiid ! #embiid1 @UAbasketball
The shoe that the NBA banned Michael Jordan from wearing 36 years ago is finally returning this weekend — but it won’t be easy to get. Italian retailer Back Door Bottega on Instagram is currently hosting a raffle for a chance to buy the Nike Air Ship Pro when it releases tomorrow. Retail images show that the premium leather upper dons the iconic black and red — or “Bred” — color scheme inspired by the Chicago Bulls, while incorporating the original duo-lacing setup seen on the midfoot. The brand has given the classic shoe a modern twist by adding its latest React foam in the midsole and the sole unit of the classic Nike Pro Circuit tennis shoe.
Still, it makes for great entertainment when they do trade barbs. And the scene was set for more entertaining moments when Green joined Barkley, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith on Friday’s episode of “Inside the NBA” on TNT. As expected, it didn’t take long for the jokes to ensue. Early in the show, their seemingly contentious relationship was brought up, and the panel addressed it with plenty of humor. “So you started it,” Smith said to Barkley. “I never had any kind of beef. You started the beef.” “And I love the way you punked him,” Smith told Green. “I’ve seen triple-single on my Instagram too many times, man,” Green responded amid plenty of laughter. “Way too many times.”
Daryl Morey: . @OldTakesExposed @ColinCowherd
Daryl Morey: You need to just put @ColinCowherd in the @OldTakesExposed Hall of Fame so he doesn’t take over your feed completely – he is unfair to other contestants with his consistent effort and performance
Steph Curry is not physically in Orlando for the restart to the 2019-20 NBA season. But the Warriors superstar could be making a virtual appearance in the bubble when the Dallas Mavericks take the court in the playoffs. “When they get to the first round, I might be in there and wear my Dallas uniform and make everybody go crazy,” Steph recently told CNBC’s Jabari Young.
Well-respected Kerith Burke still has her job for NBC Sports Bay Area. In Chicago, studio host Leah Rahimi was let go, with White Sox and Bulls sideline reporter Chuck Garfien reportedly taking on some of her duties. In Washington and Philadelphia, sideline reporters Chris Miller (who is also a studio host) and Serena Winters remain to cover the Wizards and Sixers, respectively.
Abby Chin: But, this isn’t goodbye just yet. When I received the news, I was offered the choice to finish out the season and I’m taking it! I’m not ready for this incredible ride to be over. I’ll see you tonight. Go #Celtics
August 7, 2020 | 10:05 pm EDT Update
Donovan Mitchell: It’s been a long five months. Surreal. Scary. Confusing. Boring. Terrifying. I don’t even know anymore. How many emotions can you fit into five months? It’s been everything. March 11, 2020. Jazz vs. Thunder. It feels like it’s one of those moments where 10 years from now people will be like, “Man, where were you when it went down?” I know everybody says it felt like being in a movie, but to actually be on the floor when the security guards came running out to shut down the NBA season … surreal doesn’t even explain it.
We knew some people were feeling sick, but it didn’t even enter our minds that somebody could have coronavirus. Back then, it was still such an unknown thing. It was something you saw on the news. It wasn’t real life, you know? So when the dudes in the Men in Black suits came running out onto the floor, my first thought was literally, O.K., there’s probably a leak in the ceiling or something. Then there’s more and more dudes in suits, and you’re like, Is the FBI swarming this building right now? They took us back to the locker room, and everybody’s phones were going crazy. Calls, not just texts. That’s when you know something’s up. Then they told us that nobody was allowed to leave, and that’s when you really know something’s up.
When we found out that Rudy had tested positive, that was a really difficult first hour. You’re thinking of everybody you came in contact with (I was just with my mom and sister in New York), you’re googling stuff (always a bad idea), you’re trying to respond to all the people who are worried about you. It was so many different emotions. But we were locked down in there for eight hours, man. There’s only so long you can be nervous. After the first hour, we couldn’t take it anymore. We shut off all the TVs and we put our phones on silent and we just tried to break the tension by talking and just enjoying each other’s company. We learned a lot about one another in that moment. And I know this is going to sound weird, but when I think back on those seven hours, it was a really important moment in my life. It was deep.
That was a really profound moment. Especially with everything that came after it. When I tested positive myself, I was in full isolation at my mom’s house in Connecticut. They put me down in the basement with a blanket and an Xbox. No windows. No fresh air. Full-on vampire mode. My mom would leave a plate of food at the top of the stairs for me, and I’d crack the door open and snatch the plate and a beam of sunlight would hit me like … I don’t even know … like I was Count Chocula or something. I was down there for two weeks, just waiting. Just hoping that I wouldn’t wake up the next day showing symptoms. And the weirdest part was that I guess I was like Patient Zero or whatever, so my mom was telling me that there were cars camped outside the house 24/7. What they were looking for, I don’t know. Meanwhile I’m down in the bunker playing Call of Duty.
A large table sat in the middle of a conference room at the law offices of Gray, Plant, Mooty and Mooty and Bennett. On one side, a financially stressed owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves with roots in Minneapolis’s hardscrabble North side sat with a cadre of lawyers and accountants, holding a No. 10 envelope in his hand with a number written on it.
On the other side of the table, a former state senator from rural Minnesota who had built an empire thanks to business success in printing and agriculture stared right back at him after handing over an 8 1/2-x-11 sheet of paper with his offer to buy the team. After listening to his accountants and attorneys tell him there was no way they could consider an offer presented in such simplistic form, the beleaguered Marv Wolfenson stood up, walked around the table and approached an opportunistic Glen Taylor. Wolfenson extended his hand to accept the offer. Taylor stood up and accepted. Having just spent $88 million to rescue the Timberwolves from extinction, Taylor just had one more question. “Does somebody have the phone number for the NBA?”
A few weeks before it became known that he is seriously exploring selling the Timberwolves, Taylor reflected on the chaotic process that thrust him into the owner’s chair back in 1994. It is a wild tale filled with visions of runaway horses, vampire sightings and white-knuckle negotiations that prevented the team from hopping a riverboat down to New Orleans just five years after the league made a celebrated return to the Twin Cities. And it all came together for the famously frugal Taylor during a meeting in his hotel room with the 32-year-old chief of staff for Commissioner David Stern, a lawyer by the name of Adam Silver. “It was one of those rooms where when you open the door, it just barely makes it past the bed,” Silver said with a chuckle. “It was a very small room.”
The twists and turns are befitting a franchise that has spent the vast majority of its 32 years of existence trying to find its way. That lifespan — at least in Minnesota — would have been a lot shorter had Taylor not emerged out of nowhere to hammer out a deal during a breakneck week of negotiation, and without speaking to a single soul at the league office. After shaking hands with Wolfenson in that law office, Taylor returned to his hotel room, dialed a general number for the NBA and a receptionist picked up. “I said, ‘I just bought the Minnesota Timberwolves and I would like to speak to somebody about that,’” Taylor said. “She laughed just like you just did. Like, what are you talking about?”
Fifteen minutes later, Taylor received a phone call from Silver. Twenty-six years later, Silver and more than a dozen others still have a clear picture of those harrowing days during the summer of ’94 when the future of the Timberwolves was hanging in the balance. Every person interviewed includes their job title at the time of the transaction. “It was a difficult situation, there’s no question, until Glen emerged and put the deal together,” Silver said in a phone call from Orlando, where the NBA is finishing out the 2020 season. “It was very unclear we would’ve been able to keep the team there. Glen saved the team in Minneapolis.”
