Sixers Notes: Simmons, Okafor, Noel, Embiid
Injured rookie Ben Simmons has started traveling with the Sixers and has intensified his workouts, according to Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Still recovering from the right foot fracture he suffered in September, Simmons ran sprints and shot jumpers before Friday’s game at Boston. “Because it’s starting to get into a new year and we’re seeing him without the boot and slowly integrated with the team, this is a part of it, including him on the road,” said coach Brett Brown. “At times, we have a physiotherapist and a better plan at home if we’re on really long road trips. It’s a sign that, you know, not too far away, we can see him and start integrating him more and more and more. This is the first small step to doing that.”
There’s more news out of Philadelphia:
- Jahlil Okafor is the latest big man to fall out of the Sixers’ rotation, relays Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Okafor never got off the bench Friday, even as Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel were in foul trouble. Pompey notes that Okafor doesn’t fit the team’s new emphasis on defense, but adds that the Sixers can’t decide how to manage their three young big men. “There’s a body of work now that is enough to make some assumptions, some decisions in a more reasonable way,” Brown said after Friday’s game. “It’s not like we all just met each other. We’ve been doing this for a while. The great challenge is sometimes pairings aren’t as successful as you wish they were.”
- The most painful part of the Sixers’ rebuilding project appears to be over, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Philadelphia is a virtual lock to miss the playoffs again, but Washburn says the development of Embiid is one of many reasons for hope. The franchise will have room to offer two max contracts this summer and may get the Lakers’ first-round pick in addition to its own.
- Embiid is part of a young crop of versatile, mobile centers who are changing the way the game is being played, states Michael Lee of The Vertical. Embiid is also campaigning to have the center position returned to the All-Star ballot. They were mixed in with frontcourt players in 2013. “I feel like they should put the centers back. We’ve got a lot of talent,” Embiid said. “There’s a lot of talented centers in the league. That’s on [the NBA] to do that. But my job here is to keep playing basketball and be the best I can be and push them to make that decision to put the center back on the All-Star ballot.”
Cavaliers Notes: Korver, Liggins, Dunleavy, Holmes
The Cavaliers plan to use Kyle Korver primarily off the bench, according to Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal. Cleveland’s trade for the veteran guard was finalized today, and coach Tyronn Lue calls him one of the NBA’s best shooters off screens, along with Warriors guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. “Especially a guy who can move without the ball the way he moves coming off screens and things like that, there’s no better guy,” Lue said. “You put him on the floor with Channing [Frye], RJ [Richard Jefferson], LeBron [James] and the floor will open wide, so now you got to pick your poison when you try to help off Kyrie and LeBron.” However, Lue prefers to keep DeAndre Liggins in the starting lineup because of defense against opposing point guards.
There’s more news out of Cleveland:
- Mike Dunleavy Jr.‘s disappointing season played a huge role in the deal, Lloyd writes in the same piece. The Cavs picked up Dunleavy for virtually nothing over the summer when the Bulls were clearing cap space to sign Dwyane Wade, but he put up some of the worst numbers of his career in Cleveland. He averaged just 4.6 points in 23 games and shot 35% from 3-point range, his worst figure since 2009/10. Dunleavy dropped out of the rotation early, but Lue says it wasn’t entirely his fault. “We really didn’t run the same movement stuff for him that Chicago ran for him and he didn’t really get a chance to really fit and blend in,” the coach said. “And that was on me, on us, but that’s just how our team is constructed. And it wasn’t fair to him but he’s a great professional. … I just thought he never really got a great rhythm on our team.”
- Jonathan Holmes, who was cut by the Cavaliers in training camp, has joined the team’s D-League affiliate in Canton, tweets international basketball writer David Pick. The 24-year-old forward signed a two-month contract with Barcelona in November with an option for the rest of the season, but the team decided not to extend the deal. Pick calls him a “legit call-up candidate.”
Week In Review: 1/1/17 – 1/7/17
The first week of 2017 was a busy one as the Hawks began what appears to be a rebuild and NBA teams throughout the league scrambled to make decisions on players with non-guaranteed contracts. The deadline to cut a partially guaranteed player is today.
Rumors
- The Nets could make a strong push for pending free agent Otto Porter this offseason.
- The Hawks are looking for no less than a first-round pick for Paul Millsap. Here are the latest headlines on the matter.
- The Knicks could make a bid to acquire P.J. Tucker from the Suns.
- The Celtics hold the rights to a very valuable Nets pick and aren’t afraid to trade it.
- The Jusuf Nurkic/Nikola Jokic experiment isn’t working out and the Nuggets are supposedly shopping him.
- Word has it that the Nets could be looking for two first-round picks for Brook Lopez.
- The Trail Blazers may be considering a deal to acquire Tyson Chandler from the Suns.
Trades/Signings
- The Cavaliers have traded for sharpshooter Kyle Korver. In exchange, the Hawks receive Mike Dunleavy Jr., Mo Williams and a 2019 first-round pick.
- The Cavaliers separately traded their 2017 first-round pick to the Trail Blazers in order to re-acquire their 2018 first-round pick.
- The Pelicans have signed center Donatas Motiejunas.
Waivers
- The Hornets waived Aaron Harrison.
- The Sixers waived Hollis Thompson.
- The Suns waived John Jenkins.
- The Nuggets waived Alonzo Gee.
- The Hawks waived Ryan Kelly.
- The Mavs waived Pierre Jackson.
- The Magic waived Arinze Onuaku.
- The Timberwolves waived John Lucas III.
News
- Things haven’t gone well for Rajon Rondo this season. The guard will ask to be traded from the Bulls if he continues getting benched.
- In light of Justise Winslow‘s season-ending surgery, the Heat have applied for a disabled player exception.
- After missing the first two months of the season, Alec Burks returned for the Jazz.
- There’s a growing sentiment that the Celtics may already have a star to build around: Isaiah Thomas.
- Almost healthy, Jarrett Jack plans to hold an open audition for interested NBA teams.
- After a surprisingly productive season last year, Carl Landry is similarly looking to join an NBA team.
- After speaking candidly in a radio interview, Andrew Bogut drew criticism for saying he won’t likely return to the Mavs.
- The Cavaliers must acquire a backup point guard, says LeBron James.
- Though a centerpiece of trade speculation all week, Paul Millsap was nearly traded twice already in the last year.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 1/1/17 – 1/7/17
There was plenty of original content published by Hoops Rumors staffers this week as we approach a few major milestones on the NBA calendar:
- Luke Adams explored the early 2017 NBA Draft landscape, detailing all of the picks that have already been moved. Many of the picks involved in trades are conditional and based on results from this season, so Adams used our 2016/17 Reverse Standings to piece together some of the dynamics at play.
- Chris Crouse talks at length about how Tyler Johnson‘s expanded role with the Heat will impact fantasy basketball teams. His weekly roundup also discusses the shifting of the (point) guard under way for the Bulls and Ersan Ilyasova‘s stellar play with the Sixers.
- As of Thursday, NBA teams have been eligible to sign players to 10-day contracts. Luke Adams broke down what exactly they are and how they work in the latest Hoops Rumors Glossary post.
- Today marks the last day that NBA teams can waive players on non-guaranteed deals. Luke Adams compiled a list of the partially-guaranteed players whose fate will be decided when the calendar flips over to January 8. We’ll update this list as the 5:00pm EST deadline approaches.
- In 2003, the SuperSonics shipped franchise legend Gary Payton to the Bucks in exchange for Ray Allen. Austin Kent broke down the significance of the deal at the time and its cultural implications in the years that followed.
- Will Joseph rounded up the best links from throughout the blogosphere, including this Grizzly Bear Blues piece that takes a deep dive on Andrew Harrison.
- We decided to open a few contentious topics to the masses this week, below are our Community Shootarounds.
- Even prior to Wednesday’s Kyle Korver trade, there was plenty of talk that the Hawks might look to rebuild. We asked what they should do with the veterans on their roster.
- NBA fans have been treated to some remarkable individual performances this season, so we asked readers who they think is on pace to win MVP.
Timberwolves Waive John Lucas III
The Timberwolves have decided to waive John Lucas III, says Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. The 34-year-old guard was the club’s lone non-guaranteed player.
Limited to action in just five games this season, Lucas III never did quite carve out a role for himself in Tom Thibodeau‘s rotation. The point guard has played just ten minutes total this season after signing with the club last August and winning a battle for the final roster spot.
According to Bobby Marks or The Vertical, Minnesota’s cap hit on Lucas III is $636K.
Just last month Lucas III squared off against his father for the first time in their respective NBA careers. John Lucas II, a long-retired 14-year NBA veteran, is the head of player development for the Rockets.
Stein’s Latest: Cousins, Dragic, Butler, Matthews
The latest piece from ESPN.com’s Marc Stein is packed full of noteworthy trade rumors and tidbits, many of which we’ve already passed along. As Stein reported, the Trail Blazers are eyeing Tyson Chandler, the Nuggets are “openly shopping” Jusuf Nurkic, the Hawks are seeking at least a “quality” first-round pick to headline a Paul Millsap trade, and the Nets are looking for two first-rounders in any deal for Brook Lopez.
That’s not all though. Here’s a round-up of several more interesting notes from Stein:
- With the new designated player extension set to become available when the league’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement goes into effect in July, the Kings are preparing a summer extension pitch for DeMarcus Cousins, according to Stein. Given the opportunity to present Cousins with a strong extension offer, and the fact that they remain in the playoff hunt in the West, the Kings would require a “monster offer” to consider changing their plans and considering a Cousins trade.
- The Heat‘s asking price for Goran Dragic remains “too high to encourage any serious trade discussions,” according to Stein.
- Sources with knowledge of the situation have emphatically denied that the Bulls have made Jimmy Butler available, despite recent speculation to the contrary, Stein reports.
- Stein is also told that Mavericks swingman Wesley Matthews isn’t currently on the trade block. Sources tell Stein that Dallas has been “batting away pitches” for Matthews.
- While the Warriors are relatively short on trade options, they’re a strong candidate to add a player who gets bought out of his contract later in the season, says Stein.
- Stein also relays a report from ESPN colleague Chris Haynes, who says that Norris Cole is nearing a return to full health after battling a hamstring issue. Cole could draw interest from teams seeking point guard help, such as the Cavs.
Trail Blazers Eye Tyson Chandler
Consider the Trail Blazers one team that could make a push for Suns center Tyson Chandler, ESPN’s Marc Stein reports. The 34-year-old has quietly put forth a 2016/17 in line with some of the best seasons from his prime.
In 27.3 minutes per game for Phoenix, Chandler is averaging 11.6 rebounds per game, his highest such total since averaging 11.7 for the Pelicans in 2007/08. His presence as a defensive stopper would be tremendously valuable for a Trail Blazers team that has struggled on that side of the ball. Earlier this week, John Schuhmann of NBA.com wrote about Portland’s “disastrous” defense.
Owed $12.4MM this season and signed through the the 2018/19 campaign, the 16-year-veteran is a stark contrast from the predominantly young and raw players that make up the Suns roster. Perhaps it’s for that reason that the franchise has been so aggressively showcasing Chandler while they stumble out the gates to a 12 and 25 record.
Portland may not be much higher in the win column, but the team already boasts a core of solid veterans coming off of three consecutive postseason appearances and Chandler could very well be a difference maker in the second half of the season.
Nets Seeking Multiple First-Rounders For Lopez?
The Nets don’t appear overly motivated at this point to move Brook Lopez, who has another year remaining on his contract after 2016/17. Although he could potentially be had before February’s trade deadline, the asking price will be high. According to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein, word is that the Nets are currently seeking two first-round picks in any deal for Lopez.
Lopez, viewed at one point as a health risk after he missed significant chunks of two separate seasons due to foot injuries, has appeared in at least 72 games in each of the last two seasons, and is on track to do so again this year. The veteran center is having another solid season in Brooklyn, averaging 19.9 PPG and 1.7 BPG, though his FG% (.466) and RPG (5.2) are career lows.
Of course, the dip in Lopez’s shooting percentage can be attributed to his newfound three-point shot — After taking just 31 three-point shots in his career, the 28-year-old is averaging more than five long-distance attempts per contest this season, making nearly two per game.
Set to earn just under $22MM annually for this year and next year, Lopez would be a solid trade chip to help the rebuilding Nets add more assets. However, former team executive Bobby Marks noted last month that there’s no rush for the Nets to make a move, since they like having Lopez on the roster. Marks also suggested that Lopez is more likely than most players to re-sign with his current team in free agency, meaning Brooklyn could wait until next season and still get good value, since a team acquiring the big man could be pretty confident about re-signing him.
The Nets currently don’t own a first-round pick for 2018, and will almost certainly end up with the Celtics’ first-rounder instead of their own in 2017.
Nuggets Openly Shopping Nurkic
The Nuggets have seen first-hand that there may not be enough room for both Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic to thrive in Denver. After starting the first 25 games of the season at center, 23-year-old Nurkic’s role has been drastically reduced. In a timeshare with Jokic, Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post writes, Nurkic has played over 30 minutes only once.
According to Marc Stein of ESPN, the Nuggets are now “openly shopping” the third-year big man.
Though the sample size remains relatively small considering that he spent half of the 2015/16 campaign on the sidelines, Nurkic’s career per-36 numbers paint a picture of promise. The Bosnian Beast is capable of big games, just not while Jokic is in the picture vying for minutes and opportunities of his own.
Nurkic is owed $1.9MM this season, in the second last year of his rookie contract.
Earlier this week, J.J. Vega of FanSided’s NuggLove blog speculated about where the big man could end up.
Cavaliers Acquire Kyle Korver From Hawks
11:55am: The first-round pick acquired by the Hawks in the swap will be top-10 protected in 2019 and 2020, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. If it falls in the top 10 in both of those years, it will convert to second-round picks for 2021 and 2022, though that seems unlikely.
According to Bobby Marks of The Vertical (Twitter link), Atlanta also received cash from Cleveland in the deal — roughly enough to cover the $1.2MM left on Williams’ contract. The Cavs were eligible to include up to $1.5MM in a trade.
11:29am: The Cavaliers and Hawks have finalized their trade that was first reported on Thursday, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution. The swap, which is now official, will send Kyle Korver to Cleveland in exchange for Mike Dunleavy Jr., Mo Williams, and a protected 2019 first-round pick. The Cavs have confirmed the transaction in a press release.
In Korver, the Cavs will acquire one of the NBA’s best long-distance shooter, who has a career 42.9% mark on three-point attempts. Just two years removed from an All-Star nod, the 35-year-old is averaging 9.5 PPG in 32 contests for the Hawks this season, with a .441/.409/.889 shooting line. Korver will provide Cleveland with some additional outside shooting over the next several months while J.R. Smith is sidelined, and will be another scoring threat for the club in the postseason.
By moving both Dunleavy and Williams in the deal and taking only Korver back in return, the Cavs will open up a spot on their 15-man roster, allowing the team to sign, claim, or trade for another player. There’s no rush for Cleveland to fill that opening, but with Smith expected to be out until March, and Chris Andersen out for the season, the team will be keeping an eye open for depth options.
That roster spot could ultimately be used on a point guard, as the Cavs have been lacking a reliable veteran option since the start of the season. LeBron James has suggested multiple times this week that he’d like to see the team address the position, and there’s no shortage of veteran options on the market, including Mario Chalmers, Jarrett Jack, and Norris Cole.
As for Atlanta, the team has been rumored to be shopping all their veteran players on expiring contracts, a group that included Korver. Now that the club has made one move, there’s a good chance others will follow. Thabo Sefolosha, Tiago Splitter, Kris Humphries, and – of course – Paul Millsap remain on the block for the Hawks.
From a salary cap and CBA perspective, the trade is an interesting one. The Cavaliers had a $9.6MM trade exception available that they could have used to comfortably absorb Korver’s salary, but the team doesn’t necessarily have to use it. Taxpaying teams like the Cavs can acquire up to 125% of the salary they send out in a trade, so Dunleavy’s $4.8MM+ salary is enough to take back Korver, who is earning about $5.2MM.
If Cleveland completed the trade that way, the team would hang onto its big $9.6MM traded player exception, which expires next month, and create a new TPE worth Williams’ salary ($2.19MM). Alternately, using that $9.6MM TPE to take on Korver, and creating new TPEs worth Dunleavy’s salary and Williams’ salary is another possibility for Cleveland. Trade exceptions created today wouldn’t expire until January 2018.
It’s also worth noting that the Cavs needed to first complete a separate trade before this deal could be finalized. Because the Ted Stepien Rule prevents NBA teams from trading consecutive future first-round picks, and Cleveland had already sent its 2018 selection to Portland, the Cavs had to get that ’18 first-rounder back, sending out their 2017 first-round pick instead. That allowed the club to move its 2019 pick in its deal with Atlanta.
The Cavs’ decision to hang onto Williams even after he had announced his retirement paid off as well. Cleveland was able to attach him to this deal, reducing the team’s tax bill and creating an open roster spot. The Hawks, who waived Ryan Kelly this week to create room to complete a two-for-one deal, will likely waive the veteran point guard at some point and eat his salary.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.