Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid and the 76ers are exploring options – including surgery – on his left knee, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. Embiid missed Philadelphia's 32-point home loss to the Bulls last night.

At this point, I'd be surprised if Embiid plays again this season. Given how he has looked, where the 76ers are and this development, it feels almost inevitable. Definitely not a lock, but more likely than not, in my estimation.

Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid could face a "radical" procedure that sidelines him six months to a year and would carry long-term limitations, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer's Marcus Hayes, who cites doctors who list as possibilities:

• microfracture surgery
• meniscus replacement
• low-dose radiation therapy
• osteotomy ("in which doctors break a bone in the hip to realign the joint to alleviate pressure")

Here's an article – from 2018! – on why microfracture surgery is out of date for NBA players.

Is Embiid's injury so atypical a surgery once thought to be antiquated might actually be his best option? Or do Hayes' doctor sources just not know what they're talking about?

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo on whether he would ever text his GM asking for a trade, in an interview with a Greek TV station, as translated by Eurohoops.net:

"I don’t think that I would ever text (and ask for a trade), I am not this kind of guy, they would have to kick me out”.

Did Antetokounmpo mean he'd never ask the Bucks for a trade? Or did he mean, if he asked the Bucks for a trade, he'd do so by different means (in person, phone call, etc.) than texting?

"They would have to kick me out" certainly sounds good for Bucks fans. Antetokounmpo has repeatedly shown loyalty to Milwaukee amid speculation he could leave.

But Antetokounmpo has been outspoken about valuing winning, and the Bucks – who've spent so many long-term assets to build a supporting cast that is now aging – will have an increasingly tough time building a winner.

It's difficult to ascertain what Antetokounmpo meant, especially considering the language barrier.

Ja Morant

Rumor, via Howard Beck of The Ringer: The Grizzlies could trade Ja Morant this summer. Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman, via Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian:

“I can’t blame other “executives” for fantasizing about us trading Ja. But it’s just that - fantasy. We are not trading Ja. Continue to underestimate Ja, this team and this city, and we will let our performance on the floor speak for itself. I’m not going to give this nonsense further oxygen and look forward to getting back to basketball.”

Kleiman could still trade Morant. That quote obviously isn't binding.

But Kleiman didn't have to say any of that. He could have ignored the rumor. Most executives would've.

Especially given the vitriol Nico Harrison is facing in Dallas, Kleiman had to know he'd invite even more backlash by saying something like this then trading Morant than just trading Morant without first creating the opposite expectation.

That makes me believe him.

Luka Doncic

The Mavericks were never going to offer Luka Doncic a super-max extension, according to Christian Clark, Mike Vorkunov and Fred Katz of The Athletic.

We saw what the Mavericks just traded Doncic for. They obviously didn't value him at $69 million per year.

In fairness to Dallas, that would have been a MAJOR financial commitment, the largest deal in NBA history. Doncic would've been eligible for an extension that starts at 35% of the cap and runs through his age-31 season

Next year, Anthony Davis will be eligible for an extension that starts at 35% of the cap and runs through his age-36 season.

Nico Harrison

An excerpt of The Athletic's interesting profile of Nico Harrison:

One person from a rival front office who has talked trades with Harrison described him as “almost too honest.” His goal, the person said, is to build a relationship with the other team, acting as forthright as possible.

“It’s, can we have a conversation, discuss stuff that I don’t have to read about immediately? Can I trust him?” the exec said. “And Nico has always been very honest. He’s a very upfront person, a straight-shooter.”

That sounds like a great way to build relationships, not such a great way to conduct trade negotiations. You can almost see Harrison earnestly explaining his concerns about Doncic to the Lakers, the Lakers not being dissuaded at all then using that information to offer less.

Dallas Mavericks

Mavericks employees collectively rolled their eyes after a two-hour meeting with team owner Patrick Dumont and CEO Rick Welts on how the organization has handled fallout from the Luka Doncic trade, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

That's part of Michael Rothstein's larger look at the backlash to the trade and the Mavericks' response. Just a complete mess in Dallas.

Of course, there is a possible solution: Win.

Luka Doncic trade

The Jazz reportedly didn't know they were facilitating a Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade when they agreed to take Jalen Hood-Schifino in a salary dump as part of the deal.

Jazz general manager Justin Zanik:

"Rob Pelinka even said it in his press conference introducing Luka, that it was a gift. And I think that's how a lot of my colleagues – I don't want to speak for them – but how we all kind of felt."

This isn't quite Gregg Popovich on the Pau Gasol trade. ("What they did in Memphis is beyond comprehension. There should be a trade committee that can scratch all trades that make no sense.") But this is the best on-the-record statement we've gotten for how the Lakers' latest heist is viewed within the league.

Hall of Fame

Basketball Hall of Fame finalists:

• Carmelo Anthony
• Dwight Howard
• Marques Johnson
• Buck Williams

Carmelo Anthony is and should be a lock. Dwight Howard should be a lock.

Marques Johnson will probably get in. He was already one of only two previous finalists the prior 16 years who didn't eventually get inducted.*

*The other: Kevin Johnson, who, after initially becoming a finalist, faced renewed attention for an accusation he molested a 16-year-old in the 90s (though he was still a finalist again in 2016 after she came forward with her name). 

Buck Williams is a major test of the all-finalists-eventually-get-in theory. I often connect Williams with the Hall of Fame, because when quickly searching Basketball-Reference for the best players who haven't made the Hall of Fame, he always comes up first among long-retired players. But the bigger takeaway is a reminder of the limitation of Basketball-Reference's default sorting stat (win shares) – not that Williams belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Charlotte Hornets

Losing their last two games by a combined 95 points, the Hornets matched the worst two-game stretch in NBA history (via Basketball-Reference).

Charlotte lost 141-88 to the Trail Blazers on Saturday then 130-88 to the Kings yesterday.

In 1966, the Pistons also lost consecutive games by 95.

The Hornets must fare better than a 19-point loss in Golden State tonight to avoid the worst three-game stretch in NBA history.

-Dan Feldman