Category: NBA Basketball

Kyle Kuzma signs 3 year, $40 million deal with the Lakers

Brandon King

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers have signed forward Kyle Kuzma to a three-year $40 million extension. The deal includes a player option for the 2023-24 season. With his role on the team changing from year-to-year, Kuzma continues to be somewhat of an enigma, with even Kuz recently telling the New York Post that he has “no idea” what his role on the team is. These comments are slightly troubling considering we are on the verge of the new nba season but without the usual training camp where things…

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Rockets exploring three-team deal to move Harden

Brandon King

From Tim Daniels of B/R: The Houston Rockets reportedly want to make a James Harden trade “sooner than later” and continue to expand discussions beyond the eight-time All-Star’s list of preferred destinations. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday on Get Up the Rockets have started to explore three-team deals as part their effort to “maximize value:” The Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers lead the group of contenders Harden would prefer to join, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. Harden doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract—they’ve become exceedingly rare in the…

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NBA expands opening night rosters, retains coaches’ challenges

Brandon King

From the Associated Press: The NBA coach’s challenge is back, and here to stay. Following the recommendation from the league’s competition committee, the NBA’s board of governors voted Thursday to keep the challenge as an option for coaches going forward. It was introduced last year on a one-year trial. Coaches challenged 700 calls last season, including the playoffs. Calls were overturned 308 times, or a rate of 44%. Also approved by the board of governors Thursday: a plan to give teams the ability to expand their active roster on game…

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Giannis signs supermax with Milwaukee

Staff

From Eric Woodyard of ESPN: Back-to-back NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has committed to the Milwaukee Bucks long-term. Antetokounmpo agreed to sign a five-year, $228 million supermax extension with the Bucks on Tuesday, he announced on Twitter, with the terms being confirmed by agent Alex Saratsis to ESPN. The deal includes an opt out after the fourth year. Had he passed on the offer, he would have been an unrestricted free agent next summer and the biggest name to hit the market since Kevin Durant in 2016. Antetokounmpo is coming off a career year where he became…

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Lebron on load management, title defence and Lakers future

Brandon King

From Greg Beacham of the AP: LOS ANGELES (AP) — After LeBron James emerged from the longest season in NBA history with a fourth championship ring, he returned home and planned the first Christmas family vacation of his adult life. That’s when James learned that his 17th NBA offseason would be unprecedentedly short. When James was told the NBA intended to resume games on Dec. 22, just 72 days after the Lakers beat Miami to win the title, the superstar admits he reacted with a mild expletive. “Just being completely honest,…

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Rockets head coach Stephen Silas still not sure when James Harden will return to team

Brandon King

From Michael C. Wright at nba.com: Rockets coach Stephen Silas pointed out Monday his team has spent 80% of their practices focusing on defense, but 100% of that training camp time has elapsed without star guard James Harden, leading to a murky situation in Houston. Silas cited the NBA’s COVID-19 protocolsfor Harden’s absence Sunday from the team’s first training camp workout, but on Monday the coach expressed ambiguity regarding the star guard’s status. “He’s not here, and he has a reason,” Silas said. “But that’s on him to tell whoever what…

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Three members of the Raptors organisation tested positive for COVID-19

Brandon King

COVID-19 has found the Toronto Raptors. Three members of the organisation have tested positive for the virus. Here is a statement from the team regarding the matter: During the league-mandated testing period prior to training camp, three members of the Toronto Raptors organization tested positive for COVID-19. All three are, and will continue to, self-isolate away from the rest of the organization. Adherence to protocols, follow-up testing and contact tracing has so far revealed no spread to other members of the Raptors organization. We will continue to follow safety protocols,…

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NBA teams to get $30M each to help with liquidity

Staff

From espn: NBA teams will get $30 million each to help with finances and protect against any liquidity issues due to the pandemic, according to a report in the Sports Business Journal. The money comes from $900 million the league raised from notes issued by the NBA in the private placement market, SBJ reported. The publication said that market generally includes insurance companies and institutional investors. The notes are for three or four years, and will be paid back with interest from “general collective league sources,” SBJ reported, citing multiple sources…

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Trail Blazers shut down facilities amid positive COVID-19 tests

Staff

From the AP: The Portland Trail Blazers have closed their facility for deep cleaning after three positive COVID-19 tests came back in a span of four days. Sunday was to have been the first full day of training camp for the Blazers. They, along with all other NBA teams, began having players back in their facility for individual workouts last week. The team did not say if the positive tests involved players, staff or some combination of the two. Portland is scheduled to open its preseason slate at home Friday…

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DeMar DeRozan chased intruder out of his home

Brandon King

From ESPN: San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan said “everything is good” with him and his family after an intruder entered their house while they were home over two weeks ago. TMZ reported that on Nov. 19 that DeRozan heard a commotion in a part of the family’s Los Angeles-area house that included one of his children. When DeRozan checked it out, he found the trespasser and chased the man out of his home, according to TMZ. Justin Bergquist was arrested when he returned to the gated community, with TMZ reporting that the…

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