2018 Free Agent Stock Watch: Phoenix Suns
The Suns have salvaged what initially looked like a lost season and that has done wonders for their direction heading forward. While nobody is going to confuse interim coach Jay Triano‘s team of upstarts for a contender in the making just yet, the new regime immediately changed the culture of the young organization.
Whether or not Triano remains at the helm, the Suns are in an enviable position with a lengthy list of promising prospects that Triano has helped develop. As a result, Phoenix is a semi-intriguing free agency destination that will, conveniently, have boat loads of cap space to boot.
While it may not seem like much yet, the Suns are slowly building toward something. A summer of shrewd, responsible decisions could put them in an even better position for the future.
Isaiah Canaan, PG, 27 (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $1.1MM deal in 2017
Canaan has bounced around over the course of a five-year NBA career and may have found himself a home in Phoenix. The point guard immediately usurped Mike James as the club’s primary backup point guard, and his skills as a volume scorer off the bench have come in handy. Even if Brandon Knight figures to factor into the club’s 2018/19 point guard rotation, there will be plenty of room for Canaan to slot in somewhere as a functional combo option. Expect him back at a reasonable price.
Alex Len, C, 25 (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $4.2MM deal in 2017
It’s hard to know what the Suns truly think of Len as a low-post building block. This year, with over $30MM tied up in between Greg Monroe and Tyson Chandler, it’s a wonder Len even makes his way onto the court at all. Despite the logjam, and a head coach that seems genuinely intent on getting the most out of his roster, Len has earned a consistent reserve role and has been modestly productive in it. Len signed a qualifying offer last summer which will make him an unrestricted free agent. There may not be a long list of suitors willing to bid for his services in the summer, but don’t be surprised if another team looks to poach him considering his upside.
Greg Monroe, C, 28 (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $50MM deal in 2015
There has been no player whose value has been impacted by the dawn of the small ball era more than Monroe. The lumbering big man has gone from being a revered young beast with the Pistons in 2011 to a stalwart reserve for the Bucks in 2015 to a barely playable expiring contract on the Suns in 2017. When the monster deal he inked with Milwaukee three years ago is officially off the books though, common sense will prevail and he’ll sign with a contender for dirt cheap and punish your favorite team in the playoffs. It doesn’t make sense to build an NBA team around a heavyweight in 2018, but that doesn’t mean those players can’t still be effective in select situations.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/21/18
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:
8:30pm:
- The Spurs recalled Brandon Paul and Derrick White from their G League affiliate in Austin, the team’s site announced in a press release.
3:56pm:
- The Celtics have recalled Guerschon Yabusele and Abdel Nader from the G League, the team announced today (via Twitter). Yabusele and Nader were sent down yesterday for the Maine Red Claw’s tilt against the Westchester Knicks.
- The Hawks have recalled DeAndre’ Bembry, Tyler Cavanaugh and Isaiah Taylor to their G League affiliate in Erie, the team announced in a press release. Additionally, Josh Magette, who has appeared in nine games with Atlanta, was sent down to Erie.
- The Thunder have assigned Dakari Johnson to the team’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, the team announced in a press release. Johnson has appeared in one game for the Blue, posting a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. He has played in 21 games for OKC.
- The Suns have recalled guard Davon Reed to their Northern Arizona affiliate, per Scott Bordow of Arizona Central Sports (via Twitter).
Southeast Notes: Walker, Johnson, Vucevic
The Hornets may have permanently damaged their relationship with All-Star guard Kemba Walker, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. When news broke that the franchise was eager to unload their best player in order to clear cap space and initiate a rebuild, the 27-year-old was apparently devastated.
Bonnell argues that Walker has been a world-class representative of the Hornets, a leader on the court and in the community. The scribe also argues that he’s a part of the solution in Charlotte, not the problem, and that it was customarily clumsy for the organization to dangle him for financial relief.
Bonnell cites Charlotte’s fruitless attempt to sign Gordon Hayward away from the Jazz as a restricted free agent in 2014 and the club’s ill-advised decision to sign Lance Stephenson to a three-year, $27MM deal shortly thereafter as other examples of the Hornets being managed clumsily.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- The Heat continue to be ravaged by injuries at the two-guard position, the latest one to fall being Tyler Johnson. Now, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel writes, head coach Erik Spoelstra will have to decide between two-way player Derrick Jones Jr., reserve Wayne Ellington or an out-of-position Josh Richardson.
- Despite the temporary scare, Heat guard Tyler Johnson‘s leg injury wasn’t as bad as initially feared, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes. “I was really worried because initially it felt like my knee popped,” he said. “That’s why when I went down I started grabbing at my knee and that was what was more worrisome than anything else. I’ve never had a bad knee injury so I didn’t know what it felt like. I was just thankful once I got to the back and my adrenaline kind of went down the pain in my knee wasn’t nothing I really ever felt before. My foot was down and it just kind of got tangled up.“
- A fractured bone in Nikola Vucevic‘s hand has kept him out of action since December 23 but the Magic big man is making progress, John Denton of Orlando’s team site writes. “Little by little [the strength is returning] and the best thing is just me using my hand because that will help it. I’m just doing stuff every day. Even video games, will help because I’m using my hand,” Vucevic said.
Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Mejri, Parsons
With a slate of home games and matchups versus sub-.500 opponents forthcoming, the Pelicans have an opportunity to expand their offense outside of their big three. Ron Higgins of The Times-Picayune writes that doing so could be the key to sneaking into the playoffs.
The trio of Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins and Jrue Holiday combine for 63.6% of the Pelicans’ 110.7 points per game.
Four of the Pelicans’ next five games come at home, while nine of the 13 contests remaining before the All-Star break are against teams with worse records than them.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- The Mavs are noticing that Salah Mejri is developing a reputation as a tough guy, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News writes. “People don’t like my expressions, the way I play, they don’t like that I’m getting in the mix every time,” the 31-year-old center said. “I don’t care. I’m doing my job. That’s why I’m getting paid. I don’t do anything [harmful] on purpose. “
- After missing nine games with soreness in his right knee, Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons missed a tenth game for a different reason. Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes that, while his knee is still injured, Parsons was sidelined Friday after experiencing abdominal pain.
- The Pelicans don’t have a set crunch time lineup and that’s by design, Scott Kushner of The New Orleans Advocate writes. While the team’s big three tend to be on the floor more often than not, head coach Alvin Gentry says that the other two slots are decided by feel.
Atlantic Notes: Hayward, Eddie, Williams, Hood, Raptors
The Celtics suffered their third straight loss, a 105-93 defeat to the Magic on Sunday, putting an end to a horrific week for the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference. This recent stretch highlights how much the Celtics miss Gordon Hayward, who went down with a season-ending ankle injury on opening night, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes.
Hayward, along with Kyrie Irving, was one of two major offseason acquisition designed to help Boston maintain and improve upon their first-place finish in the East last season. However, on nights where Irving sits due to injury or the Celtics need an added offensive punch, they miss Hayward’s shooting and scoring abilities.
Despite the rough stretch, the Celtics still have the best record in their conference at 34-13, two games ahead of the Raptors.
Check out other news from the Atlantic Division below:
- The Celtics recently signed Jarell Eddie to a 10-day contract and hope the journeyman’s second stint in Boston — and eighth different opportunity in the NBA — leads to better results, NBA.com’s Taylor Snow writes.
- Dennis Chambers of Basketball Insiders examines how potentially adding Rodney Hood and/or Lou Williams to the fold would impact the Sixers down the stretch.
- The Raptors have Kyle Lowry back on track and with the team still in prime position in the East, it’s unlikely the team makes a deadline trade, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun writes.
Clippers Notes: Williams, Jordan, Rivers, Roster, Future
Clippers guard Lou Williams has led the NBA in scoring since December 22, helping his team stay in playoff contention. As coaches decide on reserves for the All-Star game rosters, Williams feels his recent play has earned him a spot, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes.
“Naw, I’ll be proud if I make it,” Williams said. “Honestly, I deserve it. I rarely speak about myself because I’ve never set personal goals. Being an All-Star wasn’t even on my radar this year. But with what this team has been through this year with injuries, with so many different lineups and still having an opportunity to compete for the playoffs and to put ourselves over .500 at this point, I think I’ve got something to do with that.”
Williams is averaging career highs in several categories, including PPG (23.1), APG (5.0), three-point percentage (41.2%). While the Clippers remain in the Western Conference playoff picture, Williams has been mentioned as a potential trade piece.
Check out other news out of the Clippers organization below:
- DeAndre Jordan‘s name has floated all season as a possible – if not probable – trade candidate ahead of the February 8 trade deadline. The Clippers center, however, is proud of his tenure with the franchise and the longevity of his time in Los Angeles, Jeff Miller of the Orange County Register writes.
- Coming out of a tumultuous game between the Clippers and Rockets in which things got physical on and off the court, Austin Rivers‘ reputation among his peers has taken a hit. However, the Clippers guard addressed those criticisms in an interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, who detailed Rivers’ account of the incident and his relationship with Rockets veteran Trevor Ariza.
- After that win over the Rockets, the Clippers seem to have found their identity as a team, but ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz questions how long that can last.
- Mike Sorensen of Deseret News writes about how the Clippers team that faced the Jazz recently is unrecognizable from the squad that battled Utah in a memorable seven-game playoff series last season.
Northwest Notes: Gobert, Jazz, Burke, Malone
Health concerns regarding Rudy Gobert will remain with the Jazz for the rest of the season, writes Brad Rock of The Deseret News. Gobert, who has missed 26 games this season, returned to the lineup with 23 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks Friday against the Knicks and followed that with 16 points, seven rebounds and three blocks Saturday against the Clippers. Gobert, who is playing limited minutes, is coming off a sprained PCL in his left knee and a bone bruise in his tibia.
“I just try to stay present and deal with those things as they present themselves,” coach Quin Snyder said about Gobert’s health concerns. Utah is four and a half games out of a playoff spot and will need its Defensive Player of the Year candidate to make a run at the postseason.
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- The Jazz may be in the market for a stretch four before the trade deadline, tweets Spencer Checketts of 1280 Sports in Utah. “I knew when we traded [Trey Lyles] we’d be looking for a 6-10 player who can knock down 40% of his threes,” said GM Dennis Lindsey, “and sure enough, that’s what we are currently looking for right now.”
- Knicks guard Trey Burke, who was considered a bust in Utah, admits he wasn’t fully focused on basketball early in his career, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. Burke spent three seasons with the Jazz before being traded for a second-round pick in 2016. “I do feel I did a great job my rookie season,” he said. “Second year, they drafted another point guard [Dante Exum] — which kind of messed with my mind. It played with me a little bit. That’s where it went wrong. My rookie season the coach [Tyrone Corbin] gets fired. Going into the second year, it’s a whole new coaching staff to get used to. Sometimes it don’t work out.’’
- Nuggets coach Michael Malone promised “changes” after Friday’s loss to Phoenix, and Gina Mizell of The Denver Post offers some ideas of what they could be. Short of a trade, Denver has a few options to shake up a team that has gone 2-6 in its last eight games. She suggests removing Wilson Chandler from the starting lineup, switching Will Barton back to shooting guard, giving Kenneth Faried another shot at the rotation and giving more minutes to Malik Beasley.
Weekly Mailbag: 1/15/18 – 1/21/18
We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
Do you think Damian Lillard gets traded from Portland? If so, do you think a team like the Knicks would be a great fit? — Anthony Lodestro, via Twitter
Breaking up their high-priced backcourt would be the easiest solution to fixing the Trail Blazers’ financial problems, but there’s not an obvious deal that helps them improve. Lillard and C.J. McCollum are the team’s best players, but they eat up a lot of cap room over the next three seasons. Both are under contract through 2020/21, with Lillard owed more than $89.4MM and McCollum due more than $82.67MM. The Knicks love stars and certainly have a need for a player like Lillard. First-round pick Frank Ntilikina is only 19 and isn’t ready to take over as the starting point guard in New York. The Knicks have been linked to Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, but if Lillard becomes available, they will definitely make a phone call to Portland.
Can the Miami Heat offload some of the contracts they signed guys to this past offseason? — Jim Meehan, via Twitter
All the contracts are long-term, so they won’t be easy to move, and that probably isn’t the Heat’s strategy. Dion Waiters won’t be traded, of course, because he’s expected to have surgery on his left ankle and miss the rest of the season. Kelly Olynyk and James Johnson have been important cogs in helping Miami compile the fourth-best record in the East, and Josh Richardson is viewed as the team’s small forward of the future. None of them really affects the salary cap all that much, with Johnson holding the richest deal for this season at a little less than $14MM. ESPN’s Zach Lowe recently suggested that if the Heat decide to gamble, their best trade offer would involve Hassan Whiteside and Justise Winslow, who could be part of a package for DeAndre Jordan or DeMarcus Cousins. But don’t expect the offseason signees to leave Miami any time soon.
What are some trade deadline possibilities for the Mavericks? What about trading Wesley Matthews, who has had a nice rebound season, to Denver for Kenneth Faried and Will Barton [expiring contract] to make salaries line up? Matthews and Faried are both controlled for another year. — Beauen Bogner
Faried could definitely use a change of scenery, as he’s barely being used in Denver right now. He’s only 28 and has a reasonable contract at a little more than $12.9MM this season and $13.7MM next year. Adding another wing player may not be the priority for the Nuggets, though, when then need an experienced point guard and a power forward to fill in for Paul Millsap until he returns from wrist surgery. And the Mavericks are probably looking for someone younger than Faried as they continue the rebuilding process. It’s a good trade suggestion, but both franchises figure to have other options.
Cavaliers Notes: Lue, Smith, Defense, Blatt
The Cavaliers are in their worst position since LeBron James returned and nobody is sure what’s coming next, writes Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. Dan Gilbert is known as an emotional and reactionary owner, and giving up 148 points to the Thunder on Saturday may push him to make a move. That could be a trade, alterations to the lineup or changes on the coaching staff.
Head coach Tyronn Lue is probably safe because there is no obvious choice to replace him. If Lue is dismissed, assistants Larry Drew and Mike Longabardi would probably follow, and Jim Boylan isn’t viewed as a potential head coach, according to Lloyd. The other assistants, James Posey, Phil Handy and Damon Jones, don’t have the experience to handle a high-profile team like the Cavaliers. Someone outside the organization would be put in a difficult position trying to install a new system in the middle of a season, Lloyd adds.
There’s more news out of Cleveand:
- The Cavs aren’t getting much production from J.R. Smith, but they don’t have a good option to replace him until Iman Shumpert returns from knee surgery, Lloyd adds in the same story. Kyle Korver isn’t an option to start at age 36, and Cedi Osman isn’t a long-term solution. Dwyane Wade began the season as a starter, but has settled into his role as the leader of the second unit. Another problem is the poor play of Jae Crowder, Lloyd writes, which could force Lue to reinsert Tristan Thompson into the starting lineup and put Channing Frye back in the rotation.
- Personnel changes are the only thing that can fix the mess in Cleveland, contends Sam Amico of AmicoHoops. The Cavaliers aren’t as good as they appear on offense, he writes, with poor ball movement and too much one-on-one play that leads to too many 3-pointers. They’re even worse at the other end of the court, with no rim protectors and no strong defenders on the perimeter. “I think it’s tough for us one-on-one [to defend],” Lue said Saturday when asked whether the issue was personnel or effort. “Look at the final score — you score 124 and still lose by 24, that’s tough to swallow.”
- The Cavaliers’ problems haven’t escaped the notice of former coach David Blatt, relays Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. “I hope we don’t give up as many points as Cleveland did last night,” Blatt said before the Turkish All-Star Game.
Knicks Notes: Burke, Hardaway, Trade Deadline
Trey Burke‘s performance in the two games since signing with the Knicks has given the team a “puzzle” at point guard, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Burke has exhibited instant chemistry with former college teammate Tim Hardaway Jr. and was used to close out Friday’s win in Utah.
“I can just read him on the floor anywhere, especially when he’s coming downhill,’’ Hardaway said. “Yeah, it was immediate. I kind of know his game so well. Even when I wasn’t playing with him the past couple of years, I definitely watched him in Utah, Washington. I still know what he can do on the court, and what he’s able to do both offensively and defensively. It felt like old times.”
The Knicks are giving Burke an audition to see if they want to bring him back for next season, Berman notes. The point guard position is unsettled with rookie Frank Ntilikina not ready to be a starter and veteran Jarrett Jack unlikely to return. Ramon Sessions was waived last week, and a trade with the Hornets for Kemba Walker remains a possibility.
There’s more this morning from New York:
- Burke turned down a $3MM offer from China and opted to play for the Knicks’ G League affiliate, relays Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “[Knicks GM] Scott Perry, that’s my guy,” Burke said. “He told me he was going to give me an opportunity to come [to Westchester] and start there, and if I do what I do, he’ll give me an opportunity [with the Knicks]. Now we’re here, I just got to continue to get better.”
- Hardaway has boosted the Knicks’ offense in the four games since returning to the lineup and is determined to make the playoffs, relays Al Iannazzone of Newsday. After missing about six weeks with a stress injury in his left leg, Hardaway is averaging 22 points per game and shooting 52.6% from the field since he started playing again. “I feel like with our group, we have that fire and that desire and in our heart [the goal] is to make the playoffs one hundred percent,” he said. “If we don’t make the playoffs, we’re going to go home in April upset.”
- Finding a point guard before next month’s trade deadline remains among the Knicks’ priorities, along with a starter at the wing and a rim protector, Iannazzone notes in a separate story. He doesn’t expect the team to get all three, but it will be active in trade talks. He adds that the Knicks want to be aggressive in the 2019 free agent market and won’t be interested in Walker if it means taking one of Charlotte’s expensive, long-term contracts.