West Notes: Mavs, Kyrie Irving, Kings, DeMar DeRozan, Blazers

Mavericks

Point guard Kyrie Irving underwent surgery on a fractured left hand that was injured during offseason training, the Mavericks announced.

What the Mavs left out is a timetable for Irving’s return. 

“He sustained the injury earlier this month while training,” the team’s statement read. “Further medical updates on Irving’s status will be provided as appropriate.”

Irving is an eight-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection, and is coming off his first Finals appearance since 2017, back when he was with the Cavaliers. He also teamed with Luka Doncic to lead the Mavericks to their first Finals appearance since they won the title in 2011.

Irving averaged 25.6 points, 5.2 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 58 regular-season games in his first full season in Dallas.

• Irving and Doncic do have a new teammate, of course. That would be no less than shooting guard Klay Thompson, the former Warriors great. He suggested he still has something left in the tank. “Whether you play basketball or work in the corporate world or whatever industry, sometimes change can stir greatness and a new change of scenery can do wonders,” he said.

Kings

Guard DeMar DeRozan indicated the Kings were his top choice when it became clear he wasn’t going to return to the Bulls.

“It’s beyond an honor to be a part of such an uprising franchise,” DeRozan said, via Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “The want that they showed going into free agency was amazing. I ain’t going to lie. “It always feels good to be wanted somewhere and from Day 1 they showed that, so it’s an honor to be able to represent this organization and build on what this organization has been doing the past couple years. It’s something special and I definitely want to be a part of it. I want to be one of the guys who hits the beam.”

Light the beam, hit the beam … what’s the difference? The Kings are just happy DeRozan now calls Sacramento home.

• GM Monte McNair on the trade, which sent Harrison Barnes to the Spurs: “DeMar is somebody who, everywhere he’s gone, has made an impact on winning. We’re excited that’s going to be here in Sacramento for the foreseeable future.”
• G League Coach of the Year Lindsay Harding is leaving the Kings organization to take an assistant coaching job with JJ Redick and the Lakers, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Trail Blazers

Rookie center Donovan Clingan said he wasn’t pleased with his debut at the Las Vegas Summer League.

“I feel like there were a couple of shots around the rim I could have had a better contest on, if not blocked,” Clingan said, via Aaron Fentress of the Oregonian. “There’s some floaters, some paint shots that they made that I’m not happy with. But you just go back, watch film, you learn from it.”

Of course, the back-to-back NCAA champion from UConn was probably being too hard on himself.

“I thought he was awesome,” Blazers summer coach Jonah Herscu said. “I thought he protected the paint. Get him more comfortable on the offensive end. But his size really impacts the other team on the offensive end.”

• The name of forward Jerami Grant has been swirling in trade rumors this summer, and it appears the Lakers are among those interested (surprise, surprise). But it won’t be easy. According to one report, the Blazers want two first-round picks for Grant. We have the full story here.