With the February 8 trade deadline right around the corner, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski appeared this morning on Zach Lowe’s Lowe Post podcast to address some rumors and discuss some trade possibilities for teams around the NBA. While Wojnarowski and Lowe didn’t drop any bombshells during their hour-long conversation, the duo did share several items of note, so let’s dive in and round up some highlights…
- Although the Trail Blazers had interest in Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, Wojnarowski hears that Portland has “backed away” as of late. According to Woj, it’s “entirely possible” that Jordan won’t get traded at all this week — the Clips may prefer to simply let him walk in free agency rather than taking on a bad contract or two in order to get a late first-round pick back in a trade.
- Wojnarowski and Lowe discussed Brooklyn’s 2018 first-round pick at length, exploring what sort of deal would entice the Cavaliers to surrender that first-rounder. The duo agreed that Cleveland wouldn’t offer it to the Clippers for Jordan. In Woj’s view, it would take a Paul George-type veteran or a young star on a rookie contract to get the Cavs to part with that pick, but that sort of player isn’t really available.
- The Cavaliers and Hornets have “definitely talked,” with those conversations presumed to have focused on Kemba Walker. That doesn’t mean that any deal is likely though, as virtually every team with any sort of need at point guard has checked in with the Hornets about Walker, per Wojnarowski.
- Despite ongoing speculation that they’ll need to break up their star backcourt at some point, the Trail Blazers have “summarily rejected” any inquiries on Damian Lillard and/or C.J. McCollum, says Lowe. Maurice Harkless is a more realistic trade candidate in Portland, according to Wojnarowski, who says the Kings are one team that has had interest in Harkless in the past.
- While the Nets aren’t necessarily looking to trade Spencer Dinwiddie, they’d have to consider it if they could get a first-round pick, according to Lowe. Woj agreed with that assessment.
Is Dinwiddie a free agent? Because he’s been playing well and it wouldn’t make sense for the Nets to trade him unless they don’t want to pay him
He’s on a very cheap contract for one more year, then will be unrestricted in 2019.
You’re right that his performance this year will probably make the Nets inclined to keep him, but they did acquire Russell to be their PG of the future, and Lin will most likely be back next year, so the position could be crowded.
If the return is good, they should move him. They could always circle back to him in free agency. If a team is willing to offer a first rounder or a couple of second rounders, I think the Nets should pull that trigger. They need as much young talent as possible to surround their core. I don’t see Dinwiddie being a core player so take what you can get.
I think that they are talking about Dwight
That Brooklyn pick is just SO overvalued. That pick will be in the range of 6-12. Just look at the guys that were picked at 6-12 in last year’s draft and imagine if you wouldn’t trade any of them for Jordan. Markannen I wouldn’t. Smith I probably wouldn’t. But the other 5 I would definitely if I was looking for a playoff push. Zach Collins MIGHT end up at a DeAndre Jordan level, but not this year. It would be a gamble for sure, but the draft picks are gambles too. It’s all a gamble, but at least acquiring a Jordan would show your fans you are trying at least.
DJ is going walk as a free agent and the Clippers are going to get nothing in return. Any of those players picked 6 thru 12 look a lot better than nothing.
You have no idea if he is going to walk. What if they re-sign him? If LeBron leaves, that money will have to go somewhere.
I’m a Cavs fan and I agree that the pick is being overvalued, especially given where it’s likely to fall in the lottery.
With that said, I also think it’s important that they keep it because they have no idea what LeBron will do this offseason. If he gave them an indication that he’d come back, they can make another win-now move to try to get lucky against Golden State and win another title. (I love LeBron, but these psychological games he tries to play drive me insane.)
If there’s any chance at all that he leaves, the Cavs would be left with a bunch of aging veterans and no future. So even though that Brooklyn pick will likely end up in the middle or back part of the lottery, they could always get lucky and have it end up a better pick. If LeBron is gone, all they’ll have going for them is a *chance* to land a possible impact player, so it’s important that they keep that pick.
Zach Collins may be similar to DJ in his ability to roll to the basket and block shots (obviously not to the same level DeAndre does it at), but he’s been playing the 4 in Portland next to Ed Davis. They’re grooming him to be more of a stretch big/rim protector. Not sure if you were comparing their style of play or their level of talent, but I’m glad to see other people are noticing his play this season.
I was more saying that if all things go well for Zach Collins, DeAndre Jordan’s level is probably his ceiling as a player. Maybe a bit higher. But everything would have to go perfectly for him for that to happen. Collins is a good young player, with a chance to become really good, but I would trade him for Jordan in a second IF I thought I had a chance for a playoff push this season.
I definitely agree with you on his ceiling as a player, if he can hit the 3 consistently he can add a different type of value than DeAndre too. If I’m the Blazers, I would trade him for DeAndre too if salary wasn’t a concern. I’d take Collins on a rookie deal over paying Jordan value wise. If they could get out of other long term contracts, like move Evan Turner’s contract with Collins and a 1st for Jordan then I’d do it, but I doubt the Clippers want to take back Turner or a combination of Harkless and Meyers Leonard either. I just don’t think the Blazers and Clippers match up well for a deal.
I mean if being in the luxury tax doesn’t show your fans that your team isn’t trying, I don’t know what would.
DJ isn’t worth the Nets pick because DJ isn’t the magical missing puzzle piece that the Cavs need to fix their chemistry issues, nor is he the piece that pushes them over the top against the Warriors (nor is Lou Williams). Unless the Clips are going to eat the bad contracts the Cavs have (I’m talking Thompson, Smith, and Shump) without sending back significant long term contracts back to Cleveland (so mainly Gallo) then the Cavs shouldn’t give up the Nets pick for DJ. The Cavs are screwed either way if LeBron leaves, but giving up a lottery pick for a guy who they would likely let walk anyway isn’t going to do anything to help the Cavs recover and rebuild. Unless the Cavs get an assurance that LeBron is going to stay, or they are able to move that pick for a star (such as the example listed in the article) then there’s no reason for the Cavs to move the pick.
Cavs need to hang onto that pick either way. Plus their own first rounder. If LBJ leaves, then they can get 2 young kids in the draft. If LBJ stays, they can get 2 young kids in the draft – who can learn from and play with him. Win/win either way.
What I believe the Cavs need to do and do VERY quickly is to pull the trigger on an IT trade. Utilise Caulderon as the starting pg, backed up by Rose and even put wade on because we all know LBJ will handle the ball, so a pure pg is not always needed 100% of the time. Package one or more of JR and Schumpet off for a younger, pure shooter/scorer (aka Sweet Lou Williams) and perhaps package TT and Frye for a Dwight Howard, and just resign someone like Andrew Bogut – Vet. Max or less.
Get a shake up and drastically change this team in a quick period of time otherwise LBJ might recieve his first ever 1st Round loss.
And if LBJ leaves, well the Cavs still have those 2 first round picks and things wont be too bad.
A Shump/JR trade for Lou Williams probably starts with the Cavs throwing in the Nets pick. I don’t think the Cavs should move that pick for Lou, and the Cavs own first rounder might be a reasonable compromise but I don’t think the Clips would settle for that.
The TT and Frye for Dwight isn’t that bad of an idea since the trade would be to clear cap for both sides. Although since Charlotte is trying to clear cap from their books for the future, clearing roughly $6m (the difference between Howard’s cap hit next year and TT’s cap hit next year) probably isn’t worth the additional $17m TT would earn two years from now.
“Despite ongoing speculation that they’ll need to break up their star backcourt at some point, the Trail Blazers have “summarily rejected” any inquiries on Damian Lillard and/or C.J. McCollum, says Lowe.”
THANK YOU. I’ve been saying this!!!!
Do you believe in a backcourt with duplicate talents, or in the players in particular, or that it is unlikely to get back equal talent in a trade?
I do believe in Dame/CJ as a backcourt, both can run off screens off the ball and both are excellent in the pick and roll, which is where most of the looks in Terry Stotts offense come from. Having two ball handlers on the floor at once opens up the whole floor and as you see in Houston, having the ability to have an All-Star ball handler on the floor at all times gives you an advantage. And they can create their own offense in iso situations, get to the basket and get to the line. They are one of the best offensive backcourts in the league, I think only CP3/Harden, Steph/Klay, and Lowry/DeRozan are better (I may be missing someone), and that’s valuable in a guard and wing league. Both have shown improvement every single year and are finally both good defensively. With Steph and Harden making $40 mill a year, ~$25 mill a year for Dame and CJ is pretty good value. The Blazers play at a near elite level when the wings (Aminu, Harkless, Turner) knock down their 3s and don’t turn the ball over. So the problem has never really been Dame or CJ, it’s just that they bet on the wrong players in Leonard, Harkless, and Turner (and Crabbe before that). Trading CJ or Dame does nothing to fix the fact that there’s other money being spent terribly on this roster. They definitely wouldn’t be able to bring back equal talent in a trade either, or bring back players with as many years of team control as those two. It’s too early to rebuild this roster as long as Dame is playing at an elite level, so I’d see it as a complete step backwards to get rid of either of them. They can retool this roster and I wouldn’t mind them spending picks to get rid of a bad contract or two and go for it with this roster. Worst case scenario, rebuild in two years or something. Go all in for LeBron or something lol
Convincing… I like the play-it-out attitude… if the fan base is on-board, that’s important. And the two are entertaining. They both seem to show up in the half-court anywhere at any time, at least to an outsider… I don’t see them enough to spot a trend. Frankly they look madhouse to me, but that would be hard for the defense! Acquiring Melo would have muted that advantage though.
A healthy Nurkic was supposed to make a difference… also Connaughton looks like he’s something… how do they use him? If Nurkic is strong enough, seems like they could play him at F.
I keep downgrading James staying. I started at 80% chance I think. Clev is still #1, because he is responding to hard times with defensiveness, and Clev was where his head was at the last time he thought about it. He would like to play with two other scorers though, not just boss’s pet IT.
It can be very difficult at times for defenses to guard Dame and CJ running off endless screens, especially when Shabazz Napier is on the floor as well. I really didn’t think a 3 small guard lineup would work well but it really does. The only thing this team lacks is a go-to scorer which is where Melo would’ve fit, but the ball does tend to stop sometimes which he would’ve made into a bigger problem. Nurkic has been playing better as of late, he just is a bit immature and doesn’t always finish around the paint. He goes for soft finishes instead of going up and dunking the ball like you’d want. He’s also not great defending the pick and roll or hitting mid range yet (though he’s improving) so you’d want to keep him at the 5. I’m a big fan of Pat Connaughton, but he’s lost playing time to Shabazz because Dame plays the 2 in that lineup, and lost time to Aminu since he’s been playing very well at the 3. But Connaughton plays good defense, can hit 3s, drive to the basket and draw fouls, catch lobs, great cutter, etc. He’ll get his opportunity once we can’t pay Shabazz anymore.
I definitely feel you on the LeBron thing. It almost seems like if he was going to stay, he would’ve said something or signed already. Something is definitely fishy in Cleveland. It’s pretty hard to find a good fit for LeBron considering how much he’s going to get paid. I kind of like how LeBron is keeping Dan Gilbert hostage so to speak, we all know Dan Gilbert isn’t a great guy so it’s hard to feel bad for Cleveland, but I hope LeBron goes where he wants and that Cleveland can bounce back.
For 2 years we’ve been hearing about “the Nets pick” like the 2 picks have or had the same value. Brooklyn was clearly the worst team in the league last season. Of course it’s ideally up to the ping pongs , but I don’t see Brooklyn finishing any higher than 6 in the reverse standings. Either way I don’t trade it unless I hear a name that I haven’t heard yet become available.
Dinwiddie & Demarre Carroll for Jae Crowder & Iman Shumpert & Clev#1 would boost both teams IMO.
Carroll is more of a proper PF than Crowder and Dinwiddie can take over when the FAs leave. I like him starting now but Lue probably would not.
Nets basically get 2 for 1 and a pick, since Dinwiddie is kind of a surplus PG. Also Carroll is older than they want…
Actually Kenny Atkinson would be the real catch from the Nets! A good strategy is to maximize the number of players he trains, which Carroll did not and the draftee would.
Like Joe Vardon says today, how Gilbert reacts today will tell you if he believe’s LeBron is staying or not. If he believe’s LeBron is leaving, he’ll let Love, J.R., and TT go. He doesn’t want to pay taxes if LeBron isn’t here. Today’s Joe Vardon and Hoops Hype piece (USA Today) made me feel the best I’ve felt in a long time. They said the same thing I’ve been trying to tell you. Theirs a business side of the sport and a players side. Like Vardon said LeBron doesn’t care about Gilberts money. Gilbert does. I’ll be rereading those articles for a while.
So now you’re normal. Yes you’ll feel good if LJ leaves, since the Pacers would likely move up a notch. But I do not disagree with anything in either Vardon article. They’ve wanted to deal JR & TT for a long time so no dif. If the Cavs can get Favors, Hood and Sefolosha for Love (assuming they will be RFA not UFA) that would be great.
Bear in mind Gilbert owms a lot of downtown businesses that benefits from Q sellouts.