Pelicans Rumors: Griffin, Front Office, Davis
Former Cavaliers general manager David Griffin is among the possible preliminary candidates to replace Dell Demps as the Pelicans‘ GM, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Celtics assistant GM Mike Zarren may also be a target for New Orleans, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times.
Team owner Gayle Benson, who wants to find a pathway to sustainable success in a small market, intends to be aggressive in pursuing the “best available candidates” to run the club’s basketball operations, according to Wojnarowski.
[RELATED: Pelicans parting ways with GM Dell Demps]
Elsewhere in his full report on Demps’ dismissal, Wojnarowski relays that Benson is looking to take back control of the Pelicans from the “outside forces” she believes have tried to push the franchise in a direction that isn’t in the club’s best interests.
While Woj doesn’t get into specifics, it seems safe to assume that’s a reference to the efforts Anthony Davis‘ camp made to get him moved to the Lakers prior to the trade deadline.
Here’s more on the Pelicans and their front office shakeup:
- The determination to fire Demps was made by Benson, making it the first major decision of her tenure as Pelicans owner, tweets Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune.
- The Pelicans have known for weeks that Demps would likely need to be replaced, according to Scott Kushner of The Advocate, who says (via Twitter) that the club had initially hoped to wait until the end of the season to finalize its decision.
- Kushner also suggests (via Twitter) that today’s move makes it clear that the Lakers/Davis saga leading up to the deadline was controlled by team ownership rather than Demps, since the club wouldn’t have let him make the final call on a decision of that magnitude if he was about to be fired.
- Prior to Demps’ dismissal, Chris Mannix of SI.com dropped an interesting tidbit in a story about Davis and the Pelicans, citing sources who said that New Orleans may have been more open to dealing with the Lakers at the deadline if Davis’ trade request had been “handled quietly.”
- Jordan Greer of Sporting News argues that – after Davis’ latest injury and Demps’ firing – the time is right for the Pelicans to sit AD for the rest of the season.
2019’s Most Valuable Traded Second Round Picks
For fans of teams like the Knicks, Suns, Cavaliers, and Bulls, the bottom of the NBA’s standings are of particular interest this season because of the effect they’ll have on the first-round order of the 2019 NBA draft.
Of course, those reverse standings will also dictate the order of the draft’s second round, and an early second round pick can nearly as valuable as a first rounder.
So, while traded first round selections like the one the Raptors sent the Spurs or the one the Nuggets traded to the Nets may have received more attention, it’s worth taking a closer look at some traded 2019 second rounders that now project to be valuable picks.
[RELATED: Traded Second Round Picks For 2019 NBA Draft]
Here are five of those picks:
1. Knicks’ pick traded to Nets
The Knicks originally sent their 2019 second round pick to Philadelphia in a 2014 salary dump involving Travis Outlaw. The Sixers subsequently sent it to to the Nets, along with Jahlil Okafor and Nik Stauskas, last season for Trevor Booker.
Now, that pick looks pretty intriguing — if the season ended today, it would be the No. 32 overall selection.
2. Cavaliers’ pick traded to Sixers (or Kings)
Cleveland initially surrendered this pick in a 2015 trade that netted them Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith, and it has since changed hands multiple times and become tied up in a convoluted series of swaps — the Sixers will receive it as a result of this month’s Markelle Fultz trade, assuming it’s more favorable than the Orlando, Houston, and Portland second rounders, which seems like a safe bet.
While this selection projects to be No. 33 overall, the Cavaliers probably feel it was worth it to give it up years ago, since Shumpert and Smith played roles on 2016’s title team.
3. Bulls’ pick traded to Sixers
The Bulls attached this pick to Jose Calderon in a salary-dump deal during the 2016 offseason, trading it to the Lakers. L.A., in turn, sent it to Philadelphia as part of a draft-day deal this past summer — it was the price to acquire Isaac Bonga.
It now projects to be the No. 34 pick this year, which could give the Sixers two of the first four selections in the second round.
4. Grizzlies’ pick traded to Bulls
It may seem hard to believe now, but less than a month and a half ago, the Grizzlies were still in buying mode, sending a pair of second round picks – including their 2019 selection – to Chicago for Justin Holiday.
Memphis has slumped badly since then, and that pick would be No. 36 overall if the season ended today. For the Bulls, getting this selection helps make up for having moved their own second rounder.
5. Wizards’ pick traded to Hornets or Nuggets
The Wizards first dealt this pick on draft night in 2015 in a trade that allowed them to move up to select Kelly Oubre. The Hawks, who received it in that deal, flipped it to Denver in a 2017 three-way trade involving Danilo Gallinari and Jamal Crawford.
Here’s where it gets complicated: When they moved up two spots in the 2018 draft to nab Jarred Vanderbilt, the Nuggets agreed to give the Magic the least favorable of Denver’s own 2019 second round pick and that Wizards’ second rounder they got from Atlanta. Orlando then sent the least favorable of those two picks to Charlotte in a deal involving Timofey Mozgov, Jerian Grant, and Bismack Biyombo.
But the Nuggets had sent their own top-55 protected second rounder to New Orleans – by way of Milwaukee – in a separate deal, meaning the “least favorable” pick sent to Charlotte via Orlando had to account for those conditions too. So, if Denver’s pick falls between 56-60, the Pelicans will acquire it and the Hornets will instead get the more favorable pick, Washington’s second rounder. Got all that?
For now, the Nuggets’ second rounder projects to be No. 57 — in that scenario, the Pelicans would receive it and the Hornets would receive Washington’s pick, which would be No. 37. But if Denver’s pick ends up at, say, No. 54, Orlando will get it, New Orleans won’t get anything, and the Nuggets will get the Wizards’ selection.
Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.
Pelicans Part Ways With GM Dell Demps
Amidst the Anthony Davis drama in New Orleans, the Pelicans have decided to part ways with general manager Dell Demps, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
According to Wojnarowski, the Pelicans intend to be “aggressive” in the marketplace in hiring a high-level basketball executive to replace Demps. For now, they’re considering internal candidates such as special advisor Danny Ferry and director of player personnel David Booth to fill the GM role on an interim basis.
[UPDATE: Danny Ferry named Pelicans’ interim GM]
While it’s possible that Ferry and/or Booth could be in the mix for the permanent job in New Orleans, owner Gayle Benson is telling associates that she wants an overhaul of the organization, according to Wojnarowski, who reports that ownership was “livid” about Davis leaving the arena early on Thursday night. After suffering a shoulder injury in the second quarter of Thursday’s game, an impressive win over the Thunder, Davis left with agent Rich Paul to get an MRI before the game was over.
[RELATED: Anthony Davis diagnosed with shoulder muscle contusion]
Demps, a former NBA player, had been the general manager in New Orleans since July of 2010, taking over the role back when the team was still known as the Hornets. Despite landing the No. 1 overall pick and selecting Davis in the 2012 draft, the franchise has earned just three playoff berths during Demps’ tenure, including two since drafting Davis. The club earned its lone playoff series win last spring, a first-round sweep of the Trail Blazers.
The Pelicans entered the 2018/19 season hoping to build on that first-round victory, but have been outside the playoff picture since the fall. Things went from bad to worse in January, when Paul publicly requested a trade on behalf of Davis.
Demps and the front office elected not to move AD before the deadline despite some aggressive offers from the Lakers, and had hoped to re-open trade discussions with multiple teams, including the Celtics, in the offseason. However, it appears as if a new executive will be tasked with maximizing the return on Davis this summer.
According to Wojnarowski, ownership’s plan with its new GM will be to continue pushing back on Davis’ preferred destinations if they don’t make sense for the Pelicans. The All-NBA big man is said to prefer a move to the Lakers, Knicks, Clippers, or Bucks.
Meanwhile, sources tell Wojnarowski that ownership and senior management has been pleased with head coach Alvin Gentry, who has been responsible for keeping his players focused during a tumultuous stretch for the franchise. Still, while Gentry is in good standing with ownership, a new general manager will likely to get to make a decision on the club’s long-term head coach, tweets Scott Kushner of The Advocate.
The Pelicans’ current front office structure is one of the more unusual ones in the NBA, as Mickey Loomis is technically the team’s president, ranking above Demps on the basketball operations hierarchy. However, Loomis – who was installed by late owner Tom Benson, Gayle’s husband – is primarily a football executive, serving in a similar role for the New Orleans Saints.
Loomis has mostly stayed out of the Pelicans’ basketball decisions, letting Demps and his staff make those calls. It will be interesting to see if the team modifies its management hierarchy at all during this period of upheaval.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
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Poll: 2019 NBA MVP Race
An MVP race that looked like Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s to lose during the first third of the 2018/19 season became much more hotly contested over the last couple months. As ESPN’s Zach Lowe writes today, James Harden and Paul George have both been on incredible runs that have made them legitimate MVP candidates – if not frontrunners – as the season enters its home stretch.
Harden’s streak of 30-point outings, which is now up to 31 consecutive games, has been well documented, but it’s still worth repeating some of his eye-popping numbers. His current rate of 36.6 points per game would rank seventh in NBA history, and would be the second-best ever mark for any player not named Wilt Chamberlain.
Harden is also chipping in 7.7 APG and 6.6 RPG while playing a league-high 37.4 MPG, and has averaged a staggering 41.5 PPG in his last 31 games. Perhaps most importantly, his run has coincided with a push up the standings for the Rockets — out of the playoff picture early in the season, Houston is now 33-24 and is vying for a top-four seed in the West.
George, obviously, hasn’t matched Harden’s historic scoring numbers, but his 28.7 PPG is easily the best mark of his career. George is also averaging career highs in RPG (8.0), APG (4.1), and SPG (an NBA-best 2.3), while making 40.6% of his three-point shots. Plus, unlike Harden, he’s a legit contender for the Defensive Player of the Year award due to his excellent work on his other end of the floor. His Thunder, at 37-20, are also a few games ahead of Houston in the standings.
Of course, when it comes to team success, neither Harden’s Rockets nor George’s Thunder can match Giannis’ Bucks, whose league-best record sits at 43-14 heading into the All-Star break. Antetokounmpo still doesn’t have a reliable outside shot, but he hasn’t needed one this season — he’s shooting 58.1% from the field, including 64.0% on two-point attempts.
The Greek Freak is averaging a double-double for the second straight year, with 27.2 PPG and 12.7 RPG. And he has supplemented those numbers with impressive play-making abilities (6.0 APG) and defensive prowess (1.4 BPG and 1.4 SPG). In close MVP races, team success is often a tiebreaker, and Antetokounmpo – in addition to being the best player in the Eastern Conference – is simply the best player on the NBA’s best team so far this season.
There are other players who should be included in the MVP conversation too. Despite the Bucks’ superior record, NBA observers would still consider the Warriors the team to beat, and Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are both having MVP-caliber seasons.
Joel Embiid‘s two-way impact for the Sixers deserves consideration. There are cases to be made for guys like Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) and Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers). Kawhi Leonard (Raptors) and LeBron James (Lakers) would be viable contenders if not for their injury absences, and could get back in the conversation if they finish the season strong.
What do you think? Which player do you expect to win this season’s MVP award?
Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your two cents!
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Anthony Davis Diagnosed With Shoulder Muscle Contusion
Pelicans star Anthony Davis was forced out of action during Thursday’s win over Oklahoma City due to a left shoulder injury that has been diagnosed as a muscle contusion, reports ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. Davis – along with agent Rich Paul – left the game before it was over to undergo an MRI, which revealed the contusion.
Shelburne’s source described the injury, which Davis sustained during a collision with Thunder center Nerlens Noel, as “nothing too bad.” According to Shelburne, Davis will still head to Charlotte for All-Star weekend and will receive treatment on his injured shoulder over the next few days. Depending on how he feels by Sunday, the big man still may still play in the 2019 All-Star Game.
While Davis’ injury doesn’t sound serious, it shines a spotlight on the uncomfortable situation that he and the Pelicans find themselves in. New Orleans would reportedly prefer to shut down AD for the rest of the season in order to preserve his health in advance of offseason trade talks, but the six-time All-Star wants to keep playing and the Pelicans may be fined $100K per game if they sit him when he’s healthy.
It will be interesting to see whether Davis plays in Sunday’s All-Star Game — if he misses that contest, the Pelicans might be justified in holding him out a little longer after the break.
The Davis saga has loomed larger over the franchise for the last few weeks, something head coach Alvin Gentry acknowledged in his post-game comments on Thursday night, as ESPN’s Tim MacMahon relays.
“To tell you the truth, this whole thing has been a dumpster fire,” Gentry said. “We want guys to be professional and we want them to do this, but it’s hard for guys to go through what they’ve been through. And to be able to come out and beat a team of that quality, I’m happy for all the guys. I just thought they did a great job.”
Eastern Notes: Portis, Bulls, Lin, Pacers
The agent for new Wizards forward Bobby Portis, Mark Bartelstein, clarified his client’s comments about being traded in an interview with K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune this week.
Portis, who was moved to Washington with Jabari Parker in exchange for Otto Porter Jr. on trade deadline day, explained his unhappiness with how the transaction went down at the time:
“They told me how much they loved my energy, my heart, how hard I worked, how much I loved playing for the Bulls,” Portis said, as detailed in a previous Hoops Rumors story. “Them telling me that I’m going to be there [through the deadline] and telling me that they want to work things out this summer [in restricted free agency]. We weren’t able to agree to a contract extension [before the October deadline], but they said they wanted to agree to something this summer before free agency hits.
“I think back on everything they told me. All this stuff was said and then I don’t even get notified when I’m getting traded? (pause) It’s just a crazy feeling. I guess I’m getting my first taste of the business. Business is business, I guess. I just don’t think it was done the right way.”
Bartelstein then clarified that his client and the Bulls are on the same page, as was evident by how Portis visited Chicago’s locker room after their game against the Wizards last Saturday.
“[General manager] Gar [Forman] made it very clear to me they had no interest in trading Bobby and wanted him there long term,” Bartelstein said. “However, like with anyone else, they had to listen to offers coming in. A day before the deadline, he didn’t think anything was going to happen. There’s no doubt in my mind that Gar and [executive vice president] John Paxson were sincere about their desire to re-sign him.
“I told Bobby: ‘They love you. They want to get a deal done this summer and have no interest in trading you. But if the right offer comes about, absolutely you can get traded.’ The analogy I said to Bobby — these weren’t Gar’s words, they were mine — was, ‘If the Warriors offer Kevin Durant and the Lakers offer LeBron James, you’re getting traded.’ Basically, if somebody offers something the Bulls can’t refuse.”
There’s more from the Central Division tonight:
- The Bulls are expected to focus on adding a point guard around the draft or free agency this summer, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Chicago’s list, according to Cowley, is headlined by Ricky Rubio and Darren Collison — two players who could push starting guard Kris Dunn going into training camp.
- When Jeremy Lin was asked why he joined the Raptors as a free agent, Lin explained that the team “really, really” wanted him, as relayed by Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports (Twitter link). “That means something,” Lin said of Toronto’s interest. Lin holds several years of NBA experience and has made the postseason four times, but he’s never advanced past the first round.
- The Pacers and city officials are negotiating a deal that would keep the team in Indiana for roughly 25 more years, Chris Sikich of the Indianapolis Star writes. The Pacers’ current deal is worth $160 million and expires in 2024, according to Sikich. The team has floated the idea of publicly funding upgrades to Bankers Life Fieldhouse for about two years.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 2/14/19
Here are Thursday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:
- The Magic recalled forward Melvin Frazier Jr. from the team’s G League affiliate in Lakeland today, according to a tweet from the club’s PR department. Frazier Jr., 22, was drafted by Orlando with the No. 35 pick in 2018 after spending three seasons at Tulane University.
Pacific Notes: Thompson, Zubac, Kerr, Warriors
Klay Thompson once again reaffirmed his desire to finish his career with the Warriors prior to the team’s game against Portland on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Dave Pasch (Twitter link).
This isn’t the first time Thompson has publicly stated these hopes, with the All-Star guard also discussing the possibility back in September before the 2018/19 season began.
“Just look around the walls at all the art and to see I was a part of this buildup is what keeps me motivated and keeps me wanting to be a Warrior for my whole career,” Thompson said at the time, as relayed by Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Thompson has spent each of his eight seasons with the Warriors, having being drafted by the team back in 2011. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, along with with teammates Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins, both of whom have yet to make similar public declarations about their summer plans.
Of the Warriors’ starting five, only Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are locked into deals past this season (with Green set to reach free agency next summer). Golden State has grown tremendously with Curry, Green and Thompson, dating back to when the trio won their first championship in 2015.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Clippers knew exactly what they were getting when they traded for Ivica Zubac, Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register writes. The team acquired Zubac, an improved center on both ends of the floor, in a deal with the Lakers on trade deadline day.
- Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was fined $25K for verbally abusing and confronting a game official prior to his ejection on Wednesday, the NBA announced today. Kerr was arguing a flagrant foul call on Draymond Green with veteran referee Ken Mauer before losing his temper, causing Mauer to issue two technical fouls and remove him from the game.
- Kirk Lacob, assistant GM of the Warriors, addressed the team’s approach with the buyout market in an appearance on the “Joe, Lo & Dibs” radio show. “We don’t want to commit to something before we know what’s going to happen with our roster,” Lacob said. “You never know what can happen — there could be an injury or a slump or anything — so, we want to keep our options open. But our goal is to add a really good player — someone who fits in the locker room who fits these team and just really wants to be part of a championship run and will understand their role.”
Atlantic Notes: Russell, Giannis, Knicks, Mudiay, Irving
For D’Angelo Russell, getting traded from the Lakers to the Nets in 2017 was a blessing in disguise. Russell has excelled with the team this season, leading the Nets in points, assists and minutes played through 59 games so far.
“I came here with open arms,” Russell said, as relayed by Leo Sepkowitz of Bleacher Report. “I always knew I could do what I’m doing, it’s just all about opportunity in this league. For [Nets GM] Sean Marks and those guys to come get me and make it happen here, give me the opportunity to help myself thrive, I think it was more than necessary.”
Russell, who has held averages of 20.3 points, 6.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game in his first All-Star season, then went on to call the trade the “best thing that happened” in his career.
The Lakers, of course, moved Russell to Brooklyn as part of a salary dump that included the contract of Timofey Mozgov, and saw several of their young players featured in rumors around the trade deadline this month.
“I can’t imagine what they’re trying to block out,” Russell said, later adding, “if [the Lakers] didn’t let me go then, they were gonna let me go now, and I’d be going through what they’re going through. Best thing that happened in my career.”
Russell understood why the Lakers made the move, but immediately became motivated to lead a team in Brooklyn. The Nets now hold the sixth-best record in the East at 30-29, surprising many league observers and fans with their success.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division tonight:
- Every NBA team except the Knicks scouted Giannis Antetokounmpo as a prospect in Greece, according to Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “Scouts started flying to Greece,” Antetokounmpo’s agent Giorgos Panou said. “Every day at practice, at games, executives, GMs, assistant coaches — every team came. Twenty-nine teams, except the Knicks, New York Knicks.” The Knicks have since refuted this claim, as relayed by ESPN’s Ian Begley (Twitter link).
- Speaking of the Knicks, Emmanuel Mudiay is unsure of his current role with the team’s new rotation, Marc Berman writes for The Post. New York traded for starting point guard Dennis Smith Jr. earlier in the month, likely taking minutes away from Mudiay. “That’s out of my control,’’ Mudiay said. “That’s something you have to ask [coach] Fiz. I’m going to support my teammates.”
- Celtics guard Kyrie Irving will be joined by team physical therapist Brian Dolan and personal trainer Robin Pound during the All-Star break in Charlotte, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald writes. Irving will continue rehab from a strained right knee suffered against the Clippers last Saturday, but his status for Sunday’s All-Star Game with Team LeBron has yet to be announced.