Southeast Notes: Heat, Mahinmi, Smith
Pat Riley has to do more than just appease paying customers, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, the team president needs to steward the future of the Heat franchise. That means, despite the 13-game win streak that has suddenly put Miami within striking distance of the playoffs, the club would be wise to approach the February 23 trade deadline with caution.
This summer will be a pivotal one for the Heat, Winderman writes, citing things like Chris Bosh‘s contract situation and the fact that the club has already traded two of the club’s next four first-rounders as reasons why they ought to be smart about how they structure the team heading forward. The draft matters now more than ever, he adds, suggesting that hasty moves to load up on short-term assets this week would only hurt their 2017 draft position.
Winderman notes that the camaraderie in the Heat locker room is similar to that of the upstart 2004/05 Heat team anchored by a rookie Dwyane Wade, Lamar Odom and Caron Butler. That team started slow but rallied to become a playoff team. Tellingly, it wasn’t long after the turnaround when Riley opted to cash in his chips in the blockbuster deal that netted Shaquille O’Neal.
There’s more out of the Southeast Division:
- It wasn’t long ago when Heat forwards Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson appeared to be reasonably untouchable, writes Ira Winderman in a separate piece for the Sun Sentinel, but Miami’s recent improvement may have altered that. Now that the club isn’t in position to land a Top 3 pick, Winderman says, the club might consider holding onto Goran Dragic more than anybody else.
- After missing 50 games for the Wizards through the first four months of the season, Ian Mahinmi isn’t about to take time off during the All-Star Break, writes Chase Hughes of CSN Mid-Atlantic. The big man inked to a four-year, $64MM deal over the summer has been on a minutes restriction and will look to get himself back into a rhythm in the second half.
- The return of Ian Mahimi has eaten into backup center Jason Smith‘s minutes but the consummate professional made an impression while filling in for the injured big man. “What he’s done the last two or three months is what he’s done his entire career and he’s been terrific,” Wizards head coach Scott Brooks tells Candace Buckner of the Washington Post. Smith has averaged close to 14 points and 9 rebounds per 36 minutes so far this season.
- The Hornets complicated their cap situation when they acquired Miles Plumlee earlier this month but retain some expiring contracts that could be dealt ahead of the deadline. General manager Rich Cho, Bobby Marks of The Vertical explains, has made four trade deadline deals since his first year with the squad back in 2011.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 2/11/17 – 2/18/17
The trade deadline is less than a week away, so the Hoops Rumors staff has been busy keeping tabs on all of the latest insights and headlines. Still, we like to post our share of original content throughout the week as well. Here’s a look at some of our favorite features.
- For the first time since signing with the Warriors, former Thunder forward Kevin Durant made his return to Oklahoma City. Fans were predictably hostile toward the superstar as the game approached, enough for us to ask the question how much is too much? Do fans have the right to denounce professional athletes and, if so, what constitutes crossing the line?
- Arthur Hill answered questions in our weekly mailbag feature, including one reader’s question wondering just how much Andre Drummond could yield for the Pistons. Don’t forget to get your own questions in for next week’s mailbag.
- The February 23 trade deadline is right around the corner. Luke Adams is putting together division-by-division break downs, summarizing the overall outlook as the big day approaches. This week he tackled the Atlantic, Northwest and Southeast Divisions.
- A few early trades have already an impact on the fantasy basketball scene. Chris Crouse explains how Aaron Gordon and Jusuf Nurkic could be the big winners from the transactions that have unfolded thus far.
- In case you missed them last time, here are last week’s Hoops Rumors Originals.
Sixers Notes: Saric, Okafor, Noel
Although a crowded frontcourt has kept the Sixers in the spotlight through the first four months of the NBA season, there are other concerns that the Philadelphia franchise will have to address heading forward. Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Inquirer decided to shine a light on some of the less discussed roster dynamics in a recent column.
One of the biggest questions that Sixers head coach Brett Brown will have to answer as the roster formally evolves from rebuilding project to actual Eastern Conference contender is what to do at the power forward spot. Currently the club starts veteran Ersan Ilyasova with rookie Dario Saric slotted in as his replacement off the bench. Saric’s play of late, however, has warranted more playing time. In nine February games, Saric has averaged 15.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
Considering the progress that the Croatian has made, general manager Bryan Colangelo will need to determine whether he trusts Saric enough to let the 29-year-old Ilyasova and his expiring $8.4MM walk this summer. Another challenge the club’s brass will have to face is to truly assess the value of backup big man Richaun Holmes. Holmes has impressed, averaging nearly 15 points and 10 rebounds per 36 minutes, but it’s unclear whether the team would be comfortable with him as Philly’s primary backup center.
Another thing that the Sixers will have to address in the near future is adding perimeter offense. It’s imperative, Cooney writes, that the team add shooters who can open the floor for Joel Embiid and eventually Ben Simmons.
There’s more out of Philadelphia:
- Although nothing has transpired yet, there have been plenty of trade talks surrounding Jahlil Okafor. Although the second-year center’s name has come up in rumors all season long, he was held out of two games last week as the franchise engaged in discussions with “10 or 11 teams”. Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Okafor grew up playing against Anthony Davis of the Pelicans and would be particularly interested in playing in his hometown for the Bulls. Both New Orleans and Chicago are among the teams with whom Philadelphia has discussed a possible trade.
- For what it’s worth, Joel Embiid believes that the Sixers could utilize all of their assets, including Jahlil Okafor. As Pompey writes in a separate Philadelphia Inquirer piece, Embiid suggested as much on Saturday. “We got a lot of talent, and I feel we can use everybody if we want to get to where we want to,” Embiid said.
- Once at the center of trade rumors, Sixers center Nerlens Noel has noticed a change in culture, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype. “It’s a lot more fun, a lot more enjoyable, and it honestly feels like a whole new culture,” Noel said. The big man is aware of the logjam at his position, however. “[Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor and I] are all genuine, and we’re all young men who just want to play well in this league and see each other do well at the same time.”
Celtics Notes: Thomas, Trade Deadline, Draft
A panel of CSN New England reporters agreed yesterday that the Celtics were unlikely to make a big trade before the February 23 trade deadline. Citing lofty “in-season” price tags, Chris Forsberg went so far as to say that there was “no way,” general manager Danny Ainge would give away too many assets for one star player.
When the conversation shifted to Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler in particular, there was consensus among the scribes that Chicago may be asking too much. “It’s going to take a godfather offer [from the Celtics],” Abby Chin explained, “including two of the Nets picks.”
Over the course of the last few seasons, the Celtics have shown patience in their rebuild and that pattern, they say, is unlikely to end.
There’s more Celtics news:
- Despite the impending trade deadline Celtics head coach Brad Stevens doesn’t anticipate significant changes to his roster. “When we have a team like we have now, I don’t anticipate a ton of change but you never know what comes to the table,” Stevens told Kyle Draper of CSN New England. “Those are discussions that Danny and his staff will have and they’ll bring anything serious to my table.”
- The Celtics need a better scorer to take some pressure off of Isaiah Thomas in the playoffs, says Bob Ryan of CSN New England, in addition to a role playing rebounder. The scribe echoes a popular sentiment that trading away the Nets’ 2017 first-rounder pick for a player of marginal impact, however, would be unwise. Ryan goes on to acknowledge Jimmy Butler’s strengths as a two-way player but says that the player he would want the C’s to pursue most is DeMarcus Cousins.
- When Isaiah Thomas participates in All-Star festivities this weekend, he’ll be doing so with an ulterior motive. “I’m going to see what guys are talking about and dip my head in there and hopefully bring some more talent to Boston,” the guard told A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England.
- The Celtics will have plenty of decisions to make in the next six months, long after the trade deadline comes and goes. One such decision will involve which rookie to draft with the Nets’ 2017 first-round pick writes Johnny Auping of RealGM. Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball, “two ball-dominant guards with unusually developed skillsets for freshmen,” sit atop most mock drafts at this point in the season.
- The forthcoming trade deadline will give the NBA community a clear sense of whether the Celtics plan to win-now or build for the future, writes Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders. Hamilton writes that, given the age of their core, the C’s may not want to wait three-to-four years for their young players (and a possible 2017 lottery pick) to develop.
Central Notes: Deadline Previews, Butler, Williams, Rubio, Caldwell-Pope
The Bulls are at a “real crossroads” at this year’s trade deadline, Mark Strotman of CSN Chicago writes. With a 28-29 record, Chicago enters the All-Star break as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Given the top-heavy conference, Strotman notes, even the most optimistic fan wouldn’t have the Bulls projected to advance past the first round of the playoffs. Taj Gibson will be mentioned in trade rumors, as will Robin Lopez and Doug McDermott. While Jimmy Butler has “peak trade value,” the Bulls have incentives to keep the 27-year-old; particularly on his team-friendly contract.
For what it’s worth, Butler reportedly isn’t interested in being traded. Sources told Seerat Sohi of ESPN that Butler is “grounded in Chicago,” and feels loyalty to the franchise that took a chance on him in the 2011 draft.
More from around the Central…
- Still on his first 10-day contract, Derrick Williams has made quite an impression on the Cavs. According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, the team envisions Williams as their seventh or eighth man against the Warriors in the Finals. The Cavs are going to sign Williams to a minimum contract for the rest of the season, Vardon writes, but the 25-year-old is expected to pursue a bigger payday over the offseason. In order to maintain roster flexibility through the trade deadline, the Cavs will postpone signing Williams to a minimum deal until after his second 10-day contract expires.
- ESPN’s NBA Insiders discussed the best deadline deals for teams around the Central. Three of ESPN’s four contributors advocated the Cavs stand pat (largely due to cap restrictions), while Jeremias Engelmann suggested the team shop Kyrie Irving. Such a trade would never materialize, Engelmann writes, but the four-time All-Star’s “market value is many times greater than the actual impact he has on the game.” Amin Elhassan cited Ricky Rubio as a natural fit for the Pistons, calling him a “true set-up man” to summon Andre Drummond‘s offensive potential.
- Bobby Marks of The Vertical profiled the Pistons and Bucks in his deadline preview series; two teams “fighting for the East’s last playoff spot.” The Pistons have limited roster flexibility, and would likely be best off holding onto current and future draft assets, Marks writes. Detroit may shop Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a restricted free agent-to-be, particularly in light of an underwhelming shooting guard market. Marks cited the Bucks’ need to acquire a stopgap for the injured Jabari Parker without selling off assets. As evidenced by Milwaukee’s recent trade with the Hornets, GM John Hammond won’t be afraid to shake up the roster if need be.
Pacers To Make First Round Pick Available Via Trade
The Pacers are looking to acquire help for Paul George, even if it means relinquishing their first round pick in the 2017 draft. According to a report from Chris Haynes of ESPN, the Pacers are hoping to acquire an established wing or frontline player in exchange for the pick. In midst of a six-game skid, the team fears its window to build a championship team around George is closing.
George has made no secret of his desire to play for a winning team, telling Marc Stein of ESPN “It’s frustrating just playing the game for stats or for numbers or to showcase yourself. Man, I want a chance to play for a chance to win a championship.”
The “window” Haynes refers to runs through 2017/18, at which point the team fears George will opt out of his contract. Indiana currently owns a 29-28 record, sitting on the sixth seed of the Eastern Conference. As Haynes notes, offseason acquisitions Jeff Teague and Thaddeus Young haven’t performed up to expectations, not to mention underwhelming numbers from veteran guard Monta Ellis. Last season, the Pacers front office acquired Young in exchange for the draft rights to Caris LeVert and a conditional second round pick. It remains to be seen what type of value their #18 overall pick will receive.
Send Us Your Mailbag Questions, Hoops Links Entries
Every Sunday at Hoops Rumors, we publish a pair of features that rely on input and submissions from our readers. One is our Weekly Mailbag, in which Arthur Hill answers a few questions related to the latest news and rumors from around the NBA. The second is our Hoops Links feature, which showcases a selection of notable NBA blog entries from all over the internet. In each instance, the content for those features comes from you.
Have a question regarding player movement, free agent rumors, the salary cap, the NBA draft, or the top storylines of the week? You can e-mail them here for consideration for our Weekly Mailbag: hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.
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Be sure to send us your new mailbag questions and NBA blog posts each week, and check back every Sunday to see if you’ve been featured in that week’s installment!
NBA D-League Recalls/Assignments: 2/17/17
Here is today’s lone D-League assignment:
- The Warriors assigned Briante Weber to their D-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, the team announced via press release. As Anthony Slater of the San Jose Mercury News explained, the move will allow Weber to participate in this year’s D-League All-Star game. Currently on his second 10-day contract, Weber has scored eight points over five games in Golden State. His D-League production has come with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, where he averaged 16.5 points on 45.5% shooting.
Southeast Notes: Battier, Beal, Ibaka, Ross, Mahinmi
Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel wondered if Shane Battier, recently hired as the Heat‘s Director of Basketball Development and Analytics, will eventually assume leadership of the franchise from Pat Riley. For the interim, Winderman writes, Battier’s position will be the “first step” toward a post-Riley front office. Battier will work alongside Andy Elisburg and Nick Arison, executives with an advanced “business-of-basketball” acumen. While there is no reason to believe Riley is ready to step away from the game, Winderman could see Riley moving into a role similar to Jerry West’s with the Lakers; an executive board member who isn’t accountable for mundane, day-to-day front office operations.
More from around the Southeast…
- Jared Dudley of the Suns stuck up for his former teammate, claiming Bradley Beal was snubbed of an All-Star roster spot. “The @NBA tells us players that winning matters! Wizards are the hottest team in the NBA! Bradley Beal is healthy and balling!”, Dudley tweeted on Thursday. (Twitter link) Keely Diven of CSN Mid-Atlantic argued that Carmelo Anthony received the All-Star nod due to his ability to attract media attention. Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today gave further insight to ‘Melo’s selection, noting that Anthony received more votes from coaches than Beal.
- Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders described it as “a little obvious” that Serge Ibaka did not bond with his teammates in Orlando. Ibaka, who was dealt to Toronto on February 14, didn’t mesh with the playing styles of Orlando’s younger players (Twitter link). By Kyler’s account, it seems that Ibaka’s teammates “had real issues” with the 27-year-old, and welcomed a change.
- Terrence Ross told Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders that he embraced the “fresh start” in Orlando. “I was kind of aware that something could have been happening before the deadline so it wasn’t too shocking,” Ross said. “At the same time, being drafted to a team and playing for one team, it’s a little different, but I’m enjoying the process. It’s a good opportunity. It’s a new fresh start for me and I’m looking forward to it. I just kind of hope we can bring some of that experience I got in Toronto and bring it here, and really just helping wherever I can.” Ross, who has averaged 10.4 points through 54 games in 2016/17, is in the first season of a three-year, $31.5MM contract.
- Jason Smith will likely see a dip in minutes as the Wizards ease Ian Mahinmi into the lineup, Candace Buckner of the Washington Post writes. Smith, who has averaged 7.8 points with 4.8 rebounds over his last six games, has been a serviceable back-up to starter Marcin Gortat. “What he’s [Smith] done the last two or three months is what he’s done his entire career and he’s been terrific,” said Coach Scott Brooks. “But if you have a good team, everybody’s going to have to sacrifice. It’s not just Jason, starters are going to have to sacrifice.”
Suns GM: Eric Bledsoe Unlikely To Be Traded
Suns GM Ryan McDonough told Doug Haller of AZCentral.com that Eric Bledsoe is unlikely to be traded at this year’s deadline, citing the 27-year-old’s team-friendly contract.
“We never say ‘never,’ but I think he’s one of the least likely guys on the roster to get traded,” McDonough said. “He’s under contract for a couple more years after this year. More likely, we’d try to add guys in that 27-and-under age group to play with Eric and (guard) Devin (Booker) and our young core and build that way.”
Now in the third season of a five-year, $70MM contract, Bledsoe has averaged 21.6 points with 6.2 assists through 56 games in 2016/17. Bledsoe would surely gather interest on the trade market, but McDonough appears to be in no rush to deal one of his franchise’s prized assets.
“In terms of his work ethic and his buy-in to what we’re trying to do organizationally, he’s been off the charts,” McDonough said. “He’s made Phoenix his offseason home. It means a lot to him to be a Sun. I think it’s very unlikely to see anything with Eric.”
Earlier in the month, Zach Lowe of ESPN noted the Suns would have to consider moving Bledsoe if the return included a “good wing or center, plus a high first-round pick.” Bledsoe and Devin Booker have been stellar for the 18-39 Suns; in Lowe’s column, coach Earl Watson all but guaranteed Bledsoe and Booker would each be on Phoenix’s roster at the start of 2017/18.