Headlines

Month: February 2018

Five Key Stories: 2/3/18 – 2/10/18

By | at February 10, 2018 1:49 pm

If case you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA (e.g. trade deadline), we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days.

dwyane wade verticalThe Cavaliers traded away half of their rotation – including former MVP-candidate Isaiah Thomas – in what became a wild day in Cleveland on Thursday. All told, the Cavaliers traded away six players (Thomas, Channing Frye, Jae Crowder, Derrick Rose, Iman Shumpert, and Dwyane Wade), their 2018 first-round pick (lightly protected – LAL), and a second-round pick in 2020 (SAC) in exchange for four players (George Hill, Rodney Hood, Jordan Clarkson, and Larry Nance Jr.) and a heavily protected second-round pick in 2024 (MIA). Frye and Thomas head to the Lakers, Crowder and Rose to the Jazz, while Shumpert is now on the Kings and Wade returns to the Heat. Meanwhile, Joe Johnson was sent from Utah to Sacramento.

Speaking of Johnson, he was bought out by the Kings this afternoon and will sign with the Rockets once he clears waivers on Monday. Johnson, 36, was rumored to be favoring the Celtics or the Warriors after he hit free agency, but has evidently decided to sign with Houston instead. In addition, the Rockets are expected to sign 11-year veteran Brandan Wright after he completes a buyout with the Grizzlies. In order to make room on the roster for the new additions, Houston will waive Bobby Brown, who the team had just signed yesterday, and will need to cut one more player.

In another deadline-day deal, three former lottery selections changed teams in a three-way deal between the Knicks, Mavericks, and Nuggets. The trade will send Emmanuel Mudiay to the Knicks, Devin Harris to the Nuggets, and Doug McDermott to the Mavericks. Additionally, Denver acquired a second-round pick from New York and Dallas acquired a second-round pick from Denver – both in this year’s draft.

In non-trade related news, Clippers break-out star Lou Williams has signed a three-year contract extension with a partial guarantee in the third year. Williams will make $8MM annually, with the third-year guarantee paying $1.5MM for a total of $17.5MM in guaranteed money. Given Williams’ play so far this season, most pundits estimated a yearly guarantee exceeding that amount, but Williams is reportedly happy in Los Angeles and prefers the stability this new contract provides as opposed to testing the free agent market.

In yet another tough break for Team LeBron, not to mention the Knicks, All-Star forward Kristaps Porzingis suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during Tuesday night’s game against Milwaukee and will miss the remainder of the season. And, despite being able to put weight on the knee after the injury occurred, recovery time could be as long as 12 months.

Here are 11 more worthwhile NBA headlines from last week:

1 comment Week in Review

Rockets To Waive Bobby Brown

By | at February 10, 2018 11:56 am

Despite signing Bobby Brown to a contract for the rest of 2017/18 on Friday, the Rockets will waive him to make room for Joe Johnson, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Johnson, who is expected to complete a buyout with the Kings, has committed to signing with the Rockets. With fellow Brandan Wright also expected to sign, Houston — with 14 players signed to guaranteed deals even before signing Brown — needed to clear roster space to accommodate the two incoming veterans.

Brown, 33, has appeared in 20 games with the Rockets this season, averaging 2.5 PPG. After playing internationally for six seasons, Brown returned to the NBA in 2016/17 to appear in 25 games with Houston.

3 comments Houston Rockets Transactions

New York Notes: Mudiay, Kornet, Russell, Dinwiddie

By | at February 10, 2018 11:45 am

Acquiring Emmanuel Mudiay at the deadline on Thursday was not a shot at Frank Ntilikina but part of a plan to acquire young talent, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. General manager Scott Perry said the addition of Mudiay, a former lottery pick, gives the Knicks another talented player, which can only help Ntilikina.

“The organization is not down on Frank,” Perry said. “I’ve spoken to Frank today. We’ll continue to speak. He’s excited about it. Everyone’s committed to getting better. If you want to become a good team, you got to be resigned to adding players to our mix that will help our cause. He’s going to be fine. It’s not in any way a negative reflection on him and who we think he’s going to be. He’s a 19-year-old kid with very good tools and a lot of upside. This will help his learning process.”

The plan for Mudiay is for him to see time at both guard spots. Jared Jeffries, an ex-Knick and former scouting director for the Nuggets, commended the acquisition of Mudiay, Berman writes in a separate story. Jeffries does not agree with the consensus that Mudiay is a bad shooter — instead, he feels the former seventh overall pick is a bad finisher. If he can improve his shots closer to the rim, Mudiay can be successful, per Jeffries.

Check out other news coming out of New York:

  • Luke Kornet, who has spent the season in the G League, made his NBA debut against the Raptors on Friday, Berman writes. Taking the spot vacated by the departed Willy Hernangomez, Kornet became the second Knick ever to debut with a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds). The 22-year-old Vanderbilt project is currently on a two-way deal that allows him 45 days in the NBA before he must be added to the 15-man roster — and the Knicks have an open roster spot.
  • A knee injury sidelined Nets point guard D’Angelo Russell for two months, putting some ice cold water on a hot start to his first season in Brooklyn. Since his return, Russell has come off the bench and hasn’t seen consistent playing time. Both Russell and head coach Kenny Atkinson want to see the former second overall pick play more minutes and get reacclimated, writes Newsday’s Greg Logan.
  • While the Nets did make some moves ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, both DeMarre Carroll and Spencer Dinwiddie stayed put. Dinwiddie, who has burst on the scene as a productive asset this season, is so coveted by the Nets, the team turned down a first-round pick from the Cavaliers, as Brian Lewis of the New York Post details.
5 comments Brooklyn Nets New York Knicks

Los Angeles Notes: Thomas, Cap Space, Williams

By | at February 10, 2018 9:31 am

Isaiah Thomas was traded from the Cavaliers to the Lakers on Thursday, ending a tumultuous 15-game run in Cleveland. Coming off a serious hip injury, Thomas’ MVP-caliber performance from Boston disappeared and his public and private comments during the Cavs’ slump contributed to turmoil in the locker room.

Sean Deveney of Sporting News examines Thomas’ value as he heads for unrestricted free agency in the summer. Thomas was legitimately a top-five player in the league with the Celtics who did not mince words about wanting a maximum deal once he hits the market. Now that he’s gone from Cleveland, Thomas lost the chance of the Cavaliers using Bird rights to sign him to a max contract. Instead, he is unlikely to stay in Los Angeles and one general manager told Deveney before the trade that Thomas’ chances at a max deal are unlikely.

“It’s a tough position because he has certain expectations but it’s hard to see where he could have those expectations met,” the GM said. “He is going to be disappointed, a lot, if he is not with Cleveland but still thinks he is getting a max deal out there. The money is just not there.”

Check out other Lakers news below:

  • Thomas’ agent Aaron Goodwin spoke to USA Today’s Sam Amick after his client was dealt on Thursday. Goodwin made it clear that Thomas worked hard to get back to health with the Cavs and wanted it to work out. However, Goodwin insisted that Thomas does not want to come off the bench in Los Angeles and wants to prove he is still an impactful player. Per ESPN’s Chris Haynes and Ohm Youngmisuk, Thomas will come off the bench for the Lakers in his debut on Saturday. However, sources tell Haynes and Youngmisuk that the plan is for Thomas to eventually start.
  • ESPN Insider’s Bobby Marks (subscription required and recommended) examined the Lakers’ healthy salary cap entering this summer and beyond. Shedding the contracts of Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. gives the Lakers enough cap space this summer for two elite free agents. However, Marks also looks at the possibility of the team being patient and waiting for summer 2019 to avoid another situation of Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng.
  • Lou Williams signed a three-year extension with the Clippers before the deadline, ending any rumors he would be dealt. After suiting up for four teams in four years, Williams was happy with the Clippers and wanted a sense of stability, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN.
7 comments Los Angeles Clippers Los Angeles Lakers

2017/18 Buyout Market Summary

By | at February 9, 2018 10:51 pm

With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, much attention is being paid to what is expected to be several weeks of busy buyout market activity. The last day that a player can be waived from their current team and still be eligible to play in the postseason with a new team is March 1.

Below are a series of lists breaking down the veterans who have already been bought out – or simply waived – by their respective teams since the trade deadline, along with those who are expected to be, and several more who really ought to be considered possible buyout candidates even if no reports have come out explicitly stating as much.

As the weeks unfold, we may see new names surface as buyout candidates, in such cases (and whenever a player is formally bought out) we’ll update the list.

Potential buyout candidates:

Expected to be bought out or released:

  • None

Veterans who have been bought out or released:

16 comments Atlanta Hawks Dallas Mavericks Los Angeles Lakers Memphis Grizzlies Minnesota Timberwolves New Orleans Pelicans New York Knicks Sacramento Kings Utah Jazz

2018 Free Agent Stock Watch: Utah Jazz

By | at February 9, 2018 8:39 pm

The Jazz have done an admirable job turning what appeared to be a lost season into a competitive campaign. Thanks in no small part to the emergence of super rookie Donovan Mitchell, the future is as bright if not brighter than it was in Utah prior to Gordon Hayward‘s departure.

The Jazz sit within reach of the Western Conference playoff picture and just added one of the league’s best bargain small forwards for good measure. Given that the club’s books are in good shape for a potential playoff squad – they have just $89MM committed for next season – a smart offseason could get them close to where they left off in 2016/17.

Dante Exum, PG, 22 (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $16.3MM deal in 2014
It’s hard not to be bearish on the former lottery pick considering that he’s missed all or most of two of his four professional seasons with injuries. Still just 22 years old, however, it’s likely that the restricted free agent will intrigue at least one other team around the Association. The Jazz don’t have much reason to match a lofty deal if he lands one but they may be receptive to an affordable, short-term reunion to see if they can get a better idea of what his actual ceiling is. Much of Exum’s value will be shaped by how he looks when he comes back from his shoulder injury in mid-to-late March.

Derrick Favors, C, 26 (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $47MM deal in 2014Derrick Favors vertical (Getty -- no attribution required)
Favors went from being one of the game’s intriguing young big men to a bit player on a Jazz team that emerged as a surprise contender in the Western Conference. This season, the club has seen more out of the 26-year-old than it has in years, thanks largely in part to Rudy Gobert‘s two long-term absences. It may be inevitable that Favors isn’t a good fit next to Gobert but until head coach Quin Snyder exhausts each and every possibility for incorporating both, Favors could actually be a bargain this summer considering how drastically the narrative around him has changed. Favors isn’t a franchise cornerstone as the contract extension he inked in 2013 implied but he’s an above average starter that, in today’s climate, deserves eight digits.

Raul Neto, PG, 26 (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $3.4MM deal in 2015
The Jazz have incorporated Neto into their rotation this season and gotten modest production in return. While it’s hard to imagine they’ll face much competition from other teams when he hits restricted free agency, it’s conceivable to picture him back in Utah as a cheap third stringer. Don’t expect the club to compromise its roster or cap flexibility in order to retain him but he’s a solid option with which to round out the roster.

Derrick Rose, PG, 29 (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $2.1MM deal in 2017
The Jazz are expected to give Rose a buyout after acquiring him in the Rodney Hood deal at the trade deadline. Even if the club had no intention of buying him out though, it’s slim to none that he’d land back in Utah given their depth at the point and the culture already in place within the organization. Can the banged up husk of a former MVP attract attention on the open market? Yes, of course, but the guard’s inconsistent motivation to even continue playing at all will be the limiting factor.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2 comments Free Agent Stock Watch Hoops Rumors Originals Utah Jazz

Brandan Wright Plans To Sign With Rockets

By | at February 9, 2018 8:12 pm

While he hasn’t yet been formally bought out by the Grizzlies, Brandan Wright plans to sign with the Rockets when he is, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports tweets.

Shortly after we posted about Memphis’ intentions earlier this evening, Tim MacMahon of ESPN wrote that Houston had emerged as frontrunners to land the 30-year-old’s services.

In Wright, the Rockets will land a capable veteran that has shown glimpses of potential over the course of an 11-year-career.

While he’s consistently struggled to stay on the court over stints with six separate franchises, he’s an intriguing depth add for a team that can always use extra lob targets.

0 comments Houston Rockets Transactions

Hawks Notes: Ilyasova, Dorsey, Bembry

By | at February 9, 2018 8:07 pm

There has been considerable speculation that the Hawks will look into possible buyout options with forward Ersan Ilyasova, and rightfully so. Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweeted as much shortly after the trade deadline.

At this point, however, the parties haven’t discussed such an arrangement. Hours after that initial tweet, Cunningham tweeted that Ilyasova himself isn’t looking for a buyout, so long as the team is playing to win games. On Friday, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution chipped in with a note that the 30-year-old hasn’t been approached about one either.

Ilyasova, who signed a one-year, $6MM deal with the club in the offseason, has averaged 10.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for the Hawks. He’d be a valuable addition to any contender looking to add versatile frontcourt depth heading into the final stretch of the season.

A testament to Ilyasova’s value is the fact that, as Cunningham mentioned in one of his aforementioned tweets, the team did have trade offers for him — he simply invoked his right to reject them.

There’s more out of Atlanta:

1 comment Atlanta Hawks

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Mozgov, Harris

By | at February 9, 2018 6:58 pm

There are a number of reasons why the Celtics didn’t make a dramatic move at the trade deadline, not least because there wasn’t a grandfather offer presented that would prompt them into action. As A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes, another motivating factor was preserving opportunities for young players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to play and develop.

“We’ve got some big decisions in our franchise going forward with those young guys and and we love them all and they all bring something different to the table and we have a lot of confidence in them but yeah, bringing in other players can jeopardize their growth and development,” Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said.

While the article mentions Marcus Smart as another sub-23 young asset, it was Smart who was most discussed as a possible trade chip ahead of the deadline. Prior to that deadline, the Celtics insisted that they would only consider a significantly haul in exchange for the former lottery pick and obviously didn’t get one that impressed them.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • The Raptors figure to be active in the buyout market, Josh Lewenberg of TSN tweets. The scribe also notes, in a second tweet, that general manager Bobby Webster reiterated that the franchise is willing to dip into the luxury tax next season.
  • With just one 20-minute showing under his belt so far this season, there’s no denying that veteran center Timofey Mozgov‘s role is limited. Despite the lack of playing time, however, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes that Mozgov and the Nets haven’t discussed a buyout.
  • The Nets view 26-year-old shooting guard Joe Harris as a potential part of their core, Zach Lowe of ESPN writes. In 54 games this season, Harris has averaged 10.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
6 comments Boston Celtics Brooklyn Nets Toronto Raptors
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