New York Notes: DSJ, Brazdeikis, Harper, Harden, Shumpert

The Knicks have granted Dennis Smith Jr.‘s request to be despatched to the G League bubble, asserting right now (via Twitter) that the previous lottery choose is among the many gamers being assigned to the Westchester Knicks. Smith reportedly requested to be despatched to Westchester with a purpose to get some common minutes, since he hasn’t been a part of the rotation in New York this season.

Along with Smith, the Knicks have assigned second-year ahead Ignas Brazdeikis to the G League and transferred two-way participant Jared Harper there as effectively. These three members of New York’s 17-man NBA roster will be part of a Westchester squad that additionally options former NBA first-round picks like Skal Labissiere and James Young.

Right here’s extra on the NBA’s two New York-based groups:

• Not like Harper, Theo Pinson – the Knicks‘ different two-way participant – will stay with the NBA group moderately than heading to the G League. As Marc Berman of The New York Put up explains (via Twitter), Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose, who previously represented Pinson at CAA, loves the 25-year-old as a locker-room presence.
• James Harden missed Sunday’s sport vs. Washington attributable to a left thigh contusion, nevertheless it’s not anticipated to be an harm that lingers or retains the Nets star sidelined for for much longer, based on head coach Steve Nash. “I feel it’s fairly manageable, however only a precautionary measure to not get it banged once more and make it extreme,” Nash mentioned on Sunday, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “… Hopefully, it’s simply this sport.”
• In a separate story for The New York Post, Lewis examines how offseason acquisition Bruce Brown has established himself as a daily a part of the Nets‘ rotation.
• Barring a setback within the well being and security protocols, Iman Shumpert – who signed with the Nets over the weekend – must be obtainable by Saturday’s sport vs. Philadelphia, says Alex Schiffer of The Athletic. As Schiffer notes, apart from enjoying for the Nets final season, Shumpert has additionally performed alongside Harden and for Mike D’Antoni prior to now, giving him a stage of consolation in Brooklyn.