NBA G League Assignments/Recalls 1/29/19
Here are Tuesday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:
- The Bucks have recalled Christian Wood from the Wisconsin Herd, per the team’s Twitter feed. Wood averaged 33.7 points per game during his latest stint with Milwaukee’s G League affiliate.
- The Wizards have recalled Gary Payton II from the Capital City Go-Go, according to the team’s Twitter feed. The point guard received 12 minutes of action for Washington against Cleveland tonight, scoring 11 points and adding four assists.
Western Notes: Ball, Davis, Clippers
The Suns could benefit from Anthony Davis‘ trade request, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic explains. If Davis gets his way and lands in Los Angeles, Lonzo Ball could be shipped elsewhere and chatter out of Ball’s camp is that he prefers to go somewhere without an established point guard.
Phoenix is one of the few teams in immediate need of a starting floor general. Rankin identifies Josh Jackson as a player who could be sent to the Pelicans in a potential Lakers-Pelicans-Suns three way trade. Dealing Jackson for Ball makes sense for a team with a bevy of young prospects on the roster.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- Davis didn’t earn a starting spot in the All-Star game in the crowded Western Conference and Marc Stein of The New York Times (via his latest newsletter) hears that it’s reasonable to conclude that his reserve status in the game is among the “frustration factors” that helped convince him that now is the time to push for a trade from the Pelicans.
- Stein (in the same newsletter) gets the sense that the Clippers are genuinely confident that they can land Kawhi Leonard this summer. The team isn’t allowed to publicly say anything about Leonard, per tampering regulations.
- The Jazz are looking for a third option behind Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert and Brad Rock of The Deseret News examines whether they have a favorable enough situation to keep a top player should the team make a deal. Rock argues that it remains difficult to attract top talent if a franchise doesn’t have name brand, good weather, or reside in a major city.
Bucks Preparing Offer For Anthony Davis?
The Lakers appear to be the favorite to land Anthony Davis, though it isn’t stopping other teams from pursuing the former No. 1 overall pick. The Bucks are entering the Davis sweepstakes, according to longtime sports journalist Gery Woelfel (Twitter link).
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the only player who isn’t on the table in trade talks, Woelfel hears. Still, if the Pelicans are looking to rebuild post-AD, it’ll be difficult for Milwaukee to make a competitive offer.
The Bucks are unable to trade a first-round pick until the 2023 season at the earliest, as the Suns own their 2019 selection and the Cavs own their 2021 pick. Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton can hit free agency this summer, which decreases their trade value, and after Milwaukee’s big three, there isn’t much on the roster to get overly excited about as a player headlining a trade package (apologies to President Malcolm Brogdon).
Milwaukee would provide Davis with a chance to win, as the team sits atop the Eastern Conference standings. The Giannis-AD pairing would certainly be among the most exciting in the league, though it feels like a pipe dream for all the Wisconsin hopefuls.
NBA Fines Anthony Davis $50,000
The NBA has fined Anthony Davis $50K for violating the CBA. It’s illegal under the agreement for players or their representatives to make public trade demands and that’s exactly what Anthony’s agent, Rich Paul, did on Monday by speaking with Adrian Wojnarowski and other media members.
“The fine is for statements that were made by Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, in an intentional effort to undermine the contractual relationship between Davis and the Pelicans,” the NBA explained in its statement.
The Pelicans were recently told by Davis and his reps that the 25-year-old would not be re-signing with New Orleans once his current deal expires and that he would prefer to be traded. The team’s front office responded in a statement on Monday, declaring that the Pelicans will make the deal on their “terms” and “timeline.”
The $50K penalty is the most that the league can fine a player without giving him the ability to file a grievance, Bobby Marks of ESPN.com tweets. Davis is making approximately $25.4MM this season and the fine represents less than 0.2% of his salary. For context, if someone made a $50K salary, that would be equivalent to about $98.
Heat Notes: J. Johnson, Olynyk, Jones, Ellington
James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk can expect more playing time in the wake of a knee injury that will keep Derrick Jones Jr. out of action for at least six weeks, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jones has been diagnosed with two right knee bone bruises and won’t be re-evaluated until mid-March.
“JJ will probably play a little more now,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I think he’s ready for that because of his conditioning level and rhythm. The pairing with KO and Bam [Adebayo], we’ll get back to that as well.”
Johnson and Olynyk have seen a reduction in minutes this season as Jones moved into a larger role. They are both signed through next season and have player options for 2020/21 — more than $16MM for Johnson and nearly $13.6MM for Olynyk.
There’s more from Miami, all courtesy of Jackson:
- The silver lining to Jones’ injury is that he won’t need surgery, which Heat officials were concerned about. “It’s the best-case scenario – no surgery,” Spoelstra said. “Considering everything, it could’ve been a lot worse, and we really do think that a lot of the training he’s been doing behind the scenes, strength training with his legs – considerably stronger than he was in the past.” The 21-year-old has been a pleasant surprise in his first full season with the Heat, earning a spot in a crowded wing rotation and averaging 7.4 points per game. He has a non-guaranteed contract for next season.
- Little-used Wayne Ellington responded with a 19-point performance when he got a chance to play in Sunday’s win over the Knicks. Spoelstra won’t commit to regular minutes for the veteran shooter, who remains a candidate to be traded to help the Heat get below the luxury tax line. Ellington and his agent, Mark Bartelstein, haven’t discussed a possible buyout if no deal can be reached, but Jackson states that several contending teams would be interested in adding Ellington if that happens.
- A preseason plan to use Hassan Whiteside and Adebayo on the court at the same time has fallen through, with them playing just 13 minutes together so far. Adebayo’s limited shooting range has made the pairing difficult.
Lakers Notes: K. Thompson, Davis, LeBron, Ingram
The Lakers are hoping for a scenario in which they can add both Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi. In an appearance with Scott Van Pelt yesterday, Wojnarowski broke down the latest Davis rumors and said L.A.’s front office has even bigger things in mind.
If the Lakers can acquire Davis before the start of free agency and the Warriors aren’t willing to make a full maximum offer to Thompson, the All-Star guard will think about heading south to form a new Big Three, according to Woj.
“We’ll see what Golden State does there. They’ve got a lot of players to pay going forward,” Wojnarowski said. “They want to re-sign Kevin Durant. They certainly want to re-sign Klay, they’ve got Draymond Green coming up in free agency the following year.”
The Lakers project to have about $36MM in cap space this summer, so they should be considered a serious contender for Thompson if he’s ready to part ways with the Warriors.
There’s more Lakers news to pass along:
- The front office should learn from past mistakes and make an all-out effort to get the Davis deal done, writes Bill Oram of The Athletic. The Lakers had similar opportunities over the past two years with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, two Southern California natives who both expressed a desire to play in L.A., but were cautious and watched them go to other teams. They didn’t want to give up Brandon Ingram in a deal for George, Oram states, and they never put together their best offer to get Leonard from the Spurs.
- LeBron James is getting closer to returning from the groin injury that has sidelined him for more than a month, relays Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. James participated in full-court contact drills this week and hasn’t been ruled out for tonight, although Thursday’s game seems more realistic.
- The Davis trade rumors are a potential distraction for the Lakers’ young players, who are rumored to be part of the package for New Orleans, Youngmisuk notes in the same story. Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart will hear their names mentioned frequently until the Davis situation is resolved. “I think you look on social network and look on everything else, you have all these stories of this player, this player, this player,” Ingram said. “But no one in this room or the players or the coaches or the general manager doesn’t say a word about it. So like I said, we only listen to the important people in this building.”
Latest On Anthony Davis
The Pelicans are in a difficult position after the trade request from Anthony Davis, but they still have the power to control when the deal will get done, writes Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated. There are three important dates to consider — the trade deadline on February 7, the draft lottery on May 14 and the start of free agency on July 1 — and New Orleans must determine the best time to move its star.
Woo states that trying to rush a deal by next week only works in favor of the Lakers, along with Davis and his agent, Rich Paul. L.A.’s best offer should still be on the table this summer, and waiting will give the Celtics a chance to become involved. Even if the Pelicans don’t plan to send Davis to Boston, they may be able to gain leverage by using that offer to get more from the Lakers.
The best options may come after the lottery, Woo writes. If the Mavericks, Wizards or another team with established talent lands the top pick, it could be motivated to offer that to New Orleans as part of a package for Davis.
- The Pelicans’ best 0ffer will come from the Celtics, contends David Aldridge of The Athletic. He states that a deal would have to start with Jayson Tatum, who could become a cornerstone player in New Orleans. The Pelicans might also ask for Jaylen Brown, but Aldridge believes the Celtics would prefer to keep one of their young talents and could offer Marcus Smart instead. Boston also has a wealth of draft picks, including a Grizzlies first-rounder that is top-eight protected this year, top six next year and unprotected in 2021, along with the better pick from the Sixers or Kings this year and possibly another first-rounder from the Clippers.
- The Pelicans may consider shutting Davis down for the season if he’s not traded before next Thursday, suggests Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Davis is sidelined with a volar plate avulsion fracture on his left index finger and is being re-evaluated every 48 to 72 hours. If surgery is necessary, it would be a way for the Pelicans to avoid any risk and be sure that they have a fully healthy asset for the trade market this summer.
- A team source confirms to Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) that the Knicks plan to get involved in the bidding for Davis. Their best offer is expected to come after the lottery when they know where they’ll be drafting.
- If the Lakers aren’t able to deal for Davis before the deadline, they will only have seven tradable contracts this summer outside of LeBron James, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (insider account). L.A. would have to use some of its projected $36MM in cap space to make the deal work and could include some of its free agents in a sign-and-trade arrangement, but only if they agree to go to New Orleans. Marks examines what several teams can realistically offer, including the Nuggets, whom he calls a “dark horse” in the Davis sweepstakes. Denver has a slew of young players and controllable contracts, along with a connection in GM Tim Connelly, who formerly worked for Demps in New Orleans.
- Writers from The Athletic break down the chances of acquiring Davis for every team in the league.
Pistons Notes: Griffin, Trade Exception, Stefanski, Casey
The Anthony Davis situation in New Orleans is a reminder to the Pistons that they need to maximize Blake Griffin‘s time in Detroit, writes Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. Today marks the one-year anniversary of the trade that brought Griffin from the Clippers and set a new direction for the franchise. However, the results haven’t changed much as the Pistons are 21-27 and fighting for the final playoff spot in the East.
Griffin referred to Detroit as “home” when he spoke to reporters after Monday’s practice, but there’s no guarantee his sentiments won’t change. He also talked about the increased power of players to determine their own destiny.
“You can talk about back in the day all you want, but back in the day is not today,” Griffin said. “The NBA isn’t structured the same way, contracts aren’t structured the same way, teams aren’t structured the same way, so you can’t expect players to keep doing the same thing. It’s such an outdated view on life. I get the whole loyalty thing, but at the same time, you have to do what’s best for your family, best for you, and a lot of the times, sometimes, those things don’t align.”
There’s more today out of Detroit:
- A $7MM trade exception created by sending Boban Marjanovic to the Clippers as part of the Griffin deal figures to expire today without being used, tweets Rod Beard of The Free Press. The Pistons are right on the edge of tax territory and adding another player would likely push them over.
- Don’t expect a major deal from the Pistons before next week’s trade deadline, Beard relays in a full story. Although fans are clamoring for a move to increase the team’s playoff chances, senior adviser Ed Stefanski recently explained that the team is more likely to take a long-term approach to improving. “I will tell the fans I’m not going to make a deal that could hurt us going forward that could be instant relief but could be only for this season and then we could have issues going forward,” Stefanski said on the Wired Pistons podcast. “That makes no sense to me. The word people don’t want to hear is patience. Where we have (cap) restrictions, there’s nothing else but to be patient.”
- Whatever the Pistons do for the rest of the season, it won’t involve tanking, Beard adds in a separate piece. The organization is committed to trying to reach the playoffs, and even if that doesn’t happen, new coach Dwane Casey will use that time to decide which players will make up the long-term core of the team.
Woj: Davis May Only Sign Extension With Lakers
League sources expect Anthony Davis and his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, to inform the rest of the league that he only plans to sign an extension with the Lakers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
That means Davis would be just a short-term rental for anyone else who tries to acquire him. He has a $28.75MM player option for the 2020/21 season and can become a free agent next summer.
The Pelicans won’t rush into a deal, Wojnarowski adds, writing that it will take an “overwhelming” offer to get Davis out of New Orleans before the February 7 trade deadline. The Lakers plan to try to reach that standard, with trade talks between the two teams expected to begin soon. L.A. is in position to offer a max contract in free agency this summer, but sources say the team would give that up to acquire Davis. The Lakers are willing to part with draft picks and some combination of young players Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and Lonzo Ball in their trade proposal.
The Celtics, who have been collecting assets in hopes of making a deal for a star, are reportedly among the teams willing to take the risk of trading for Davis without a guarantee of a long-term arrangement. Sources tell Wojnarowski that president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has been calling the Pelicans for more than a year to let them know of his interest in Davis. There is also a tight bond between Davis and Kyrie Irving, who would be virtually assured of re-signing in Boston if Davis becomes part of the team.
Although he doesn’t identify them, Wojnarowski adds that several other teams are considering a deal for Davis, even if it’s only for the rest of the season. They could use him to make a run at the title, then flip him for other assets this summer.
Pelicans Shopped Mirotic, Randle, Moore
The Pelicans spent the weekend trying to trade Nikola Mirotic, Julius Randle and E’Twaun Moore in exchange for draft picks, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his weekly podcast (hat tip to Andrew Lopez of The Times-Picayune).
“Over the weekend, I had heard from two separate teams that Mirotic, Randle and Moore had all been made available for picks,” Lowe said. “New Orleans is known for perhaps playing some misdirection, so teams didn’t know what to think of this. One team made of it, their guess and/or impression was, New Orleans was trying to get picks that it then flips for a big, big piece in a save-the-season trade.”
The other team told Lowe it also wasn’t sure how to interpret the Pelicans’ move and speculated that they might be giving up on this season and trying to build for the future. New Orleans is 13th in the East with a 22-28 record and is five and a half games out of a playoff spot.
Mirotic, who was acquired from the Bulls last season, will be a free agent in July and will be seeking a raise on his $12.5MM salary. Randle, who signed with the team over the summer, has a player option for next season worth a little more than $9MM. Moore is in his third season with the Pelicans and has one year left on his current contract at nearly $8.67MM.
New Orleans is trying to plan for the future without star big man Anthony Davis, who informed the team over the weekend that he won’t sign an extension this summer and wants to be traded.