NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/18/19
Here are Friday’s NBA G League assignments and recalls from across the league:
- The Clippers recalled rookie guard Jerome Robinson from the Agua Caliente Clippers, the team’s PR department tweets. The 13th overall pick played eight NBA games early in the season but hasn’t seen the court since November 17th. Robinson has appeared in 12 G League games, averaging 20.1 PPG while making half of 3-point attempts in 31.0 MPG.
Gasol, Conley Discuss Grizzlies’ Direction With Owner
Grizzlies veterans Marc Gasol and Mike Conley met with owner Robert Pera in Memphis this week to discuss the direction of the franchise, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
The meeting’s timing is significant with the trade deadline approaching and the possibility of Gasol being dealt. A report surfaced earlier this week indicated that Gasol is leaning toward unrestricted free agency this summer rather than exercising his $25.6MM option. Conley is signed through the 2020/21 season, though he holds a $34.5MM option on the final year of that deal.
Memphis traded two unprotected second-round picks to acquire swingman Justin Holiday from the Bulls earlier this month in order to turn around its fortunes. However, the club has a 19-25 record after losing nine of its last 10 games.
Several NBA teams have monitored Gasol’s possible availability, according to Charania. Gasol is averaging 15.4 PPG and 8.4 RPG. Conley is averaging 19.9 PPG and 6.2 APG after missing most of last season with a heel injury.
Conley’s contract would seemingly be tougher to move, if Memphis chose to shop him. He’s making $30.5MM this season.
The Grizzlies are working on a potential trade destination for forward Chandler Parsons, Charania notes. Parsons has been inactive even though he was cleared medically nearly a month ago. He has another season left on his deal, which is paying him $24.1MM this season and $25.1MM next season, but knee injuries have sidetracked his career.
The Grizzlies have a desirable asset in forward JaMychal Green, Charania adds. Green, a rotation big man, is making $7.66MM this season and has an expiring contract.
NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Southwest Division
Over the course of the 2018/19 NBA season, up until February’s trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA, monitoring their value and exploring the likelihood that they’ll be moved. Each of these looks at possible trade candidates focuses on a specific division, as we zero in on three players from that division.
Southwest trade candidates like Dennis Smith, Wesley Matthews, and Carmelo Anthony have been in the news lately, but we’ve discussed them in previous installments of our Trade Candidate series. Today, we’ll be focusing on a few players who haven’t necessarily been at the center of recent trade rumors, but still could very well be on the move by February 7.
Here’s our latest look at a few possible trade candidates from the Southwest…
Brandon Knight, G
Houston Rockets
$14.63MM cap hit; $15.64MM guaranteed salary in 2019/20; UFA in 2020
Knight has essentially been on the trade block since the Rockets acquired him from Phoenix during the offseason, with a December report suggesting that Houston is dangling Knight in trade talks for a wing.
Knight’s appeal as a trade chip from Houston’s perspective is obvious. Of the team’s six players earning more than $4MM this season, he’s the only one who isn’t a key contributor. His $14.63MM salary is ideal for matching purposes, and getting his $15.64MM salary for 2019/20 off the books could help the Rockets avoid another big tax penalty next season.
Of course, Knight’s appeal to other teams will be… limited. While he has returned from the ACL tear that sidelined him for over a year, he continues to be bothered by knee issues and hasn’t looked good for Houston in the 12 games he has played (3.0 PPG on .234/.156/.818 shooting). If a team agrees to take on Knight’s contract in exchange for a solid rotation player, that team will almost certainly be receiving the Rockets’ 2019 first-round pick as well.
Julius Randle, F/C
New Orleans Pelicans
$8.64MM cap hit; $9.07MM player option for 2019/20
Like the Rockets, the Pelicans are exploring upgrades on the wing and will likely try to attach a first-round pick to an overpriced veteran (Solomon Hill) to accommodate a deal. Still, even though that’s New Orleans’ most obvious trade package, it’s not the team’s only option.
Depending on what sort of player the club is pursuing, making Randle available could make sense. On the surface, trading him doesn’t seem prudent — he’s had a terrific year (20.1 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 2.9 APG), and is one of a handful of reliable pieces on a Pelicans team that lacks depth.
Still, he’ll likely be a free agent at season’s end, and there’s no guarantee the Pelicans will be able to re-sign him. It’s also unclear if he’ll be able to play at the same time Anthony Davis and Nikola Mirotic in the postseason, assuming New Orleans makes it — that lineup would be awfully big and wouldn’t match up well against many of the team’s potential opponents.
As such, I think the Pelicans could explore flipping Randle for one or two players who could help the team in the short term, especially if one of those players is a wing who would fit better alongside Davis and Mirotic. New Orleans showed last spring that it can win with that frontcourt duo, so Randle looks to me like the most expendable of the club’s top four or five players.
JaMychal Green, F
Memphis Grizzlies
$7.67MM cap hit; UFA in 2019
It seems hard to believe that the Grizzlies were, briefly, the No. 1 seed in the West less than two months ago. The club now ranks 14th in the conference and while head coach J.B. Bickerstaff says the postseason is still the goal, it seems irresponsible for the club to continue acting as a buyer.
A full-fledged fire sale is probably unrealistic too, since it would be an abrupt change of direction for the franchise in the span of a few weeks. But, as Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian recently wrote, some smaller-scale “strategic” selling seems possible.
If Memphis takes that route, Green would be an obvious candidate to be dealt. The veteran power forward is in the final year of a mid-level type contract and is putting up career-high numbers in several categories (10.8 PPG, .512 FG%, .397 3PT%). Moving him would also clear a path for the Grizzlies to feature promising rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. in a more prominent role down the stretch.
Green is unlikely to inspire a bidding war, but teams in need of one more frontcourt piece should have some interest if the Grizzlies make him available.
Previously:
- NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Southwest (12/6)
- NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Southwest (11/15)
- The rest of our NBA Trade Candidate series
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
18 Trade Exceptions To Expire Within Next Month
As NBA teams consider their trade options before the February 7 deadline, it’s worth keeping in mind that two-thirds of the league’s clubs hold traded player exceptions. These traded player exceptions allow over-the-cap clubs to acquire a player – or multiple players – whose salary fits within the TPE without having to send out any salary in return.
[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Traded Player Exception]
Traded player exceptions can’t be combined with another salary or exception and often aren’t worth much, so most of them ultimately go unused. Still, they can come in handy every now and then, particularly for under-the-tax clubs that don’t mind adding a little more money to their books.
Last season, a total of 16 trades were completed between January 29 and February 8, resulting in 18 outstanding trade exceptions that will expire between January 29 and February 8 of this year.
Here are those traded player exceptions, listed in order of value, with the expiration date noted in parentheses for each TPE:
- Detroit Pistons: $7,000,000 (1/29)
- Utah Jazz: $3,708,883 (2/8)
- Portland Trail Blazers: $3,505,233 (2/8)
- Toronto Raptors: $2,451,225 (2/8)
- Utah Jazz: $2,386,864 (2/8)
- New Orleans Pelicans: $2,300,000 (2/8)
- Milwaukee Bucks: $1,889,040 (2/5)
- Memphis Grizzlies: $1,697,250 (2/8)
- Los Angeles Clippers: $1,471,382 (1/29)
- New Orleans Pelicans: $1,471,382 (2/1)
- Cleveland Cavaliers: $1,471,382 (2/8)
- Detroit Pistons: $1,471,382 (2/8)
- New York Knicks: $1,435,750 (2/7)
- New Orleans Pelicans: $1,429,818 (2/1)
- Detroit Pistons: $1,331,160 (2/8)
- Los Angeles Clippers: $1,331,160 (1/29)
- Miami Heat: $1,312,611 (2/8)
- Washington Wizards: $1,312,611 (2/8)
For the full list of traded player exceptions currently available, including three Nuggets TPEs ranging in value from $5.9MM to $13.7MM, click here.
Deveney’s Latest: D. Smith Jr., Nuggets, J. Parker
Teams that might otherwise be interested in trading for the Mavericks‘ Dennis Smith Jr. may prefer to try their luck with a talented crop of point guards in free agency, writes Sean Deveney of Sporting News. The Magic and Suns, who have been mentioned in trade rumors involving Smith, will both have cap room available this summer and could try to upgrade at the position without giving up any assets.
Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker will headline this year’s class, which will also feature D’Angelo Russell and Terry Rozier. They are all more traditional point guards than Smith, who was bumped out of that position in Dallas when the Mavericks drafted Luka Doncic.
“He is very athletic, but he’s not a playmaker and not a great shooter,” a front office executive said of DSJ, per Deveney. “If you have money under the cap this offseason, there are other guys you can pursue who fit better, who can pass and score.”
There are also concerns that Smith is already clashing with management midway through his second season in the league, Deveney adds. Dallas is reluctant to give up on such a talented young player a year after taking him with the No. 9 pick, but another source says he will eventually be traded, whether it happens before the February 7 deadline or sometime in the future.
Deveney shares a couple more trade-related rumors:
- The Nuggets may be willing to use their trade exceptions to help improve their defense. After some early-season progress, Denver has been allowing 115.3 points per 100 possessions over the past 15 games, placing the team 29th in the league. The Nuggets have three active trade exceptions, worth $13.7MM, $12.8MM and $5.9MM. They can’t be combined, but any of them could be enticing for teams looking to get rid of salary before the deadline.
- Jabari Parker‘s return to the Bulls‘ rotation came more out of need than coach Jim Boylen’s declaration that he has displayed more effort in practice. Deveney claims that Chicago’s front office hasn’t made any progress in its effort to trade Parker and needs him back on the floor to help spark some interest. The former No. 2 overall pick has responded by averaging 14.7 PPG in 18.0 minutes per night over past three games.
- The Bulls have no desire to accept salary beyond this season, so Deveney speculates that in order to move Parker, a three-team deal might be necessary with an under-the-cap team involved. Deveney also notes that the Knicks and Pelicans have expressed interest, but Chicago doesn’t want Courtney Lee or Solomon Hill, who are both signed through next season.
Knicks Notes: Mudiay, Robinson, Sprewell, Fizdale
Knicks coach David Fizdale lamented the lack of “a closer” after Thursday’s one-point loss in London, but Emmanuel Mudiay is confident that he can eventually fill that role, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Despite battling illness, Mudiay put on a stellar performance with 25 points and seven rebounds against the Wizards. He has emerged from a three-way battle to establish himself as the team’s best point guard and now hopes to become the number one option in crunch time.
“I’m confident in that,” Mudiay said. “That’s one thing, I’m not afraid of the moment.”
The Knicks will have a decision to make this summer on Mudiay, who is headed for restricted free agency. He is averaging 14.8 points and 4.0 assists per game and has been the starter since November, but he still could become expendable as New York tries to preserve as much cap room as possible in its quest for an elite free agent.
There’s more Knicks news to pass along:
- Rookie center Mitchell Robinson returned to the court Thursday for the first time in about a month after dealing with a groin injury, Berman adds in the same story. He only played 10 minutes, but his coach is happy to have him back. “We look different with him,” Fizdale said. “If you’re an avid fan watching the game, you see a huge difference in our athleticism. Is he screwing up stuff? Of course. Especially because he’s missed so much time. His timing is off and conditioning was a factor. But all that said, I thought he had a really good impact on this game today.”
- Former Knick Latrell Sprewell represented the organization in London and would be interested in serving as a mentor if the team wants him to, relays Steve Popper of Newsday. “If they ask me, I’m definitely open to it for sure,” Sprewell said. “Anything I can do to have these guys get better, I’m willing to do that for sure.”
- The Knicks are mired near the bottom of the East with a 10-34 record, but Fizdale sees a much brighter future next season, tweets ESPN’s Ian Begley. “In the mix, improved,” he said this week of his vision for next year. “Obviously, we’ll get a good draft pick at some point. Obviously, free agency will be at a premium.”
Hoops Rumors’ Chat Transcript: 1/18/2019
With the NBA trade deadline less than three weeks away, Hoops Rumors’ live chats are back! For the next three Fridays leading up to the February 7 deadline, starting today, I’ll be answering your NBA questions from 12-1pm central time.
Today’s chat is complete, but you can read the transcript here. Be sure to check back on Friday, January 25 for our next live chat!
Southwest Notes: DSJ, Jordan, Rockets, Parker
Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr. didn’t report to the team’s facility for practice this morning, a source tells Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com (Twitter link). According to MacMahon, that wasn’t an unexpected development, since Smith isn’t expected to join the Mavs on their upcoming road trip, as we relayed on Thursday night.
While the relationship between Smith and the Mavericks doesn’t appear to be in a great place, the club is – at least for now – willing to be patient and to do the work necessary to mend fences, MacMahon writes. Smith’s camp seems to prefer a trade, but it may be in the 21-year-old’s best interests to try to work things out with Dallas in the short term. The Mavs are unlikely to receive any favorable trade offers for him right now, so getting back on the court and accepting the role Rick Carlisle envisions for him could help Smith rebuild his value.
Let’s round up a few more items from around the Southwest…
- NBA sources don’t believe that the Mavericks will offer DeAndre Jordan the multiyear contract that he and his agent will be seeking during the 2019 offseason, reports Mac Engel of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. As Engel observes, it would be much easier for Dallas to let Jordan walk in the offseason if the team could acquire his potential replacement in a Smith deal.
- In the wake of Clint Capela’s thumb injury, Kelly Iko of The Athletic explores some potential frontcourt targets for the Rockets, identifying seven players who could be fits. Within the article, Iko notes that Houston would look to challenge the Warriors for Robin Lopez’s services if Chicago buys him out.
- In advance of Tony Parker‘s return to San Antonio earlier this week, Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com took a deep dive into why the veteran point guard left the Spurs during the offseason. “[Gregg Popovich] just told me that I was going to be the third point guard, and I had to think really hard about if I was going to stay,” Parker says. “So then I told him I’m not gonna stay. I think they really didn’t believe I was gonna leave anyway. I think they thought I’d be like Manu [Ginobili] and just stay.
- We rounded up a few Grizzlies notes earlier today.
Grizzlies Notes: Gasol, Wallace, Future
After getting off to a 15-9 start this season, the Grizzlies have lost 16 of their last 20 games and have slipped all the way to 14th in the Western Conference, leading to speculation that the team might consider trading longtime center Marc Gasol.
While Gasol didn’t have much to say about those rumors this week, he was a little more forthcoming when asked about the direction and future of the Grizzlies, And, as Mark Giannotto of The Memphis Commercial Appeal details, the veteran big man sounded uncertain about what’s next in Memphis.
“I don’t think we know exactly where the future is headed right now,” Gasol said. “Obviously, you’re a player, so you need to play and you need to win games. You cannot get caught up in what’s the future of the franchise. What are they going to do? What’s this guy going to do? You can’t do that because then you forget about what’s the most important thing to do and even though no player likes to be in that situation, you have to deal with it. It’s the way it goes. It’s just the nature of the beast. There’s nothing you can do.”
Within his column, Giannotto argues that the Grizzlies shouldn’t trade Gasol at this season’s deadline, since that sort of franchise-altering decision should be made by the general manager who will be overseeing the club for the next several years. Giannotto is unconvinced that Chris Wallace should be that GM — in Giannotto’s view, Wallace’s group “bungled the transition away from the Core Four” and has exacerbated Memphis’ issues by “whiffing on and needlessly trading away draft picks.”
Here’s more on the Grizzlies:
- Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian took an informative, in-depth look at the Gasol question looming over the franchise, breaking down the pros and cons for moving the center and exploring what sort of return the team could expect in a trade.
- Despite the Grizzlies’ slump, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said this week that there has been “no sign of punting” on the 2018/19 season, per David Cobb of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “There’s been no sign from the front office saying we’re not committed to trying to win basketball games,” Bickerstaff said. The Grizzlies’ coach added that “nothing is off the table” when it comes to experimenting with different lineup combinations to try to kick-start the club.
- Matt John of Basketball Insiders explains why it may be more difficult than it seems for the Grizzlies to launch a rebuild.
Carmelo May Land With New Team Before Trade Deadline
It has been more than two months since Carmelo Anthony appeared in an NBA game, fueling speculation that his long career may be coming to an end. However, two sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic that Anthony has “multiple” options available to him and is expected to pick one before next month’s trade deadline.
According to Amick, it’s not clear whether these options would involve a trade – since Anthony is still technically on the Rockets‘ roster – or whether he’d be released and subsequently signed by a new club. Either way, there are “strong signs” that he’ll resume his NBA career at some point this season, Amick writes.
LeBron James has expressed some interest in bringing his good friend to Los Angeles, and the Lakers have been the team most frequently linked to Anthony, as Amick notes. But the fact that L.A has a full roster is “no small obstacle,” a team source tells Amick. It’s unclear whether the Lakers would be willing to replace any of their current players with Carmelo, particularly since there are questions about the the 34-year-old’s conditioning and overall game.
Anthony has seen his production slip over the last two seasons in Oklahoma City and Houston. Although the veteran forward averaged a career-high 6.4 three-point attempts during his 10 games with the Rockets, he still displayed an affinity for deep two-point shots, and has been a liability on defense. Carmelo’s on/off-court statistics have reflected his struggles, as Houston had a -9.0 net rating in his minutes this season.
As we wait to see where Anthony ends up, it’s worth noting that the Rockets would certainly prefer to trade him rather than release him outright, since doing so would take the team off the hook for the tax penalties associated with his $1.51MM cap hit.
A team with interest in Anthony might not mind trading for him, as long as that club isn’t also a taxpayer, since the Rockets have already paid over half of his 2018/19 salary — the financial commitment for a team acquiring him would essentially be the same as signing him to a new minimum-salary free agent contract.