NEWSLETTER
We got a great week of NBA action ahead of us, and you’re going to want to clear your evening schedules for it. The Ball brothers square off tonight, and then we get a pair of Western Conference goliaths in the Warriors and Suns squaring off TWICE this week! We’re just getting ready to flip the calendar to December, and the NBA is already reached “can’t turn it off” status. Hell yes, and thank you very much, hoops gods.
• Could we see a resolution to the John Wall holdout in Houston?
Latest ESPN reporting on John Wall and the Rockets: https://t.co/rH2tDguVev
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 28, 2021
• Wall met with general manager Rafael Stone and coach Stephen Silas on Sunday, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. Wall stressed his continued desire to return to the Rockets, but Wall wants it to be in a feature role. The Rockets, however, want Wall to return to the team in a complementary role to its younger players. Wall, 31, didn’t show the Rockets that he could return to his all-pro level in the 40 games he played last season after recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in Washington before being traded to Houston for Russell Westbrook. While no progress has been made, Wojnarowski floats the idea of Wall coming off the bench in a Derrick Rose-type role with significant minutes, opining that might be a plan that would sway Wall to return to the Rockets. Houston is 3-16 this season.
• Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr. will undergo back surgery for the second time since he was drafted in 2018. Porter Jr. signed a five-year, $172 million max contract with Denver in September.
ESPN story on Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr., undergoing back surgery: https://t.co/BR7prJjgn5
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 29, 2021
• Remember, the Nuggets will also be without guard P.J. Dozier, who is feared to have suffered a season-ending ACL injury.
ESPN story on Denver Nuggets guard P.J. Dozier, who is feared to have suffered a season-ending ACL injury: https://t.co/KkdvQkS2PM
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 24, 2021
• Boogie is back:
ESPN story on DeMarcus Cousins agreeing to a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks: https://t.co/4X9suuzvEd
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 28, 2021
• DeMarcus Cousins, 31, will sign a non-guaranteed deal to join the Milwaukee Bucks. Cousins played parts of the 2020-21 season with the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Clippers but hasn’t played this season. The veteran big will provide the Bucks some big man depth in the absence of Robin Lopez, who is dealing with a back injury.
• The Bucks have won seven in a row and are now tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference with the Chicago Bulls at 13-8.
https://twitter.com/Giannis_An34/status/1465140114707857408?s=20
• Klay Thompson has been assigned to the Santa Cruz Warriors to receive increased practice reps in his rehab from a torn ACL and Achilles.
Another step in Klay Thompson’s return process: The Golden State Warriors assigned Thompson to G League Santa Cruz for increased practice reps, sources tell me and @anthonyVslater.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 28, 2021
• The five-time All-Star hasn’t played since the 2019 NBA Finals and was given an original return estimate of sometime near Christmas. When the Warriors get Klay back, it’s going to be time to pray for the rest of the league.
Does Klay Thompson think the Warriors can win the title: "Oh, yeah. We're 15-2. It's a great indicator. Our defense is top 3 in the league along with our offense. And I'm not even out there yet. Think about that. Really think about that."
Full soundbite pic.twitter.com/S4t3qf0v16
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 23, 2021
• Speaking of praying for the league, how about those Phoenix Suns!?
16 WINS IN A ROW.
The Suns are no joke 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bREU1lK0z2
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 28, 2021
• The Suns have won 16 straight, and with the Bulls off on Tuesday, you’ll want to make sure you can tune in to TNT for a battle of the 18-2 Golden State Warriors and the 17-3 Phoenix Suns. We’re talking about a potential WCF preview on Tuesday night on TNT, with Round 2 set for Friday night in San Francisco. That’s primetime hoops in late November/early December!
That sets it up: It's the 18-2 Warriors against the 17-3 Suns (16 straight wins) in Phoenix on Tuesday night. Rematch in San Francisco on Friday.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 28, 2021
• This is what the red-hot Suns have waiting for them, not once but twice this week. Sheesh.
Another day, another @StephenCurry30 showcase ☔
Steph (33 PTS, 5 REB, 6 AST, 6 STL, 7 3PM) records his 8th 30+ PT game of the season in the @warriors' 7th-straight W! pic.twitter.com/PRCcLFp6NU
— NBA (@NBA) November 29, 2021
• Enes Kanter is now Enes Kanter Freedom. The Celtics big man legally changed his name and became a U.S. citizen today.
Enes Kanter is legally changing his name to Enes Kanter Freedom and will become a U.S. citizen on Monday, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/TQrgo1RH80
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 28, 2021
• A collective sigh of relief of Grizzlies fans:
More testing to come on Ja Morant's left knee and that'll give the Grizzlies a clearer sense of the sprain's severity. Once that's done, Memphis will know better a timetable on a return. Morant's had a monster season — and he will be back to complete it.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 27, 2021
• Goran Dragic will be away from the Toronto Raptors indefinitely for personal reasons, and we have a statement from Toronto Raptors’ GM Bobby Webster on the guard’s absence from the team:
Statement from Toronto Raptors GM Bobby Webster on Dragic being away from team indefinitely: https://t.co/EU6mMiT5bm pic.twitter.com/bVKBHAFJ6X
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 28, 2021
• Dragic, 35, has played in only five games for the Raptors this season after Dragic and Precious Achiuwa from the Miami Heat in a sign-and-trade for Kyle Lowry this offseason.
• That’s it for today, but be sure to get your popcorn ready for Ball vs. Ball tonight!
Ball vs. Ball, A Much Lighter Schedule, the Iffy Halfcourt Offense, and Other Bulls Bulletshttps://t.co/K75br5HN8p
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) November 29, 2021
