Warriors May Offer Durant ‘Delayed Sign-And-Trade’
The Warriors are considering a “delayed sign-and-trade” arrangement with Kevin Durant that would let him maximize his earnings and allow him to be traded once his ruptured Achilles is fully healed, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this morning on “Get Up!” (video link)
Durant can lock in a five-year, $220MM contract by re-signing with Golden State, about $57MM more that he would earn in a four-year deal with anyone else.
“Let him rehab and then work with him to be traded,” Windhorst explained. “Potentially to New York, potentially to somewhere else. Be their way to sort of take care of him monetarily after what he just went through and also protect the franchise to get some assets. If that happens, the Knicks would be in tremendous position to get back into it because they’re going to have these young assets plus cap space.”
Windhorst called it “a last-ditch” effort on the Warriors’ part to avoid losing Durant in free agency with no return. He admits it would take a strong level of trust on Durant’s part to agree to such a deal, but adds that the Warriors have promised to help facilitate a trade to wherever he wants to go.
Warriors Trade For 41st Pick
12:01pm: The Hawks have announced the deal, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Journal-Constitution.
8:18am: The Warriors have obtained the 41st pick in tonight’s draft from the Hawks, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Golden State paid $1.3MM for the pick and included a 2024 second-rounder in the deal.
It’s the second trade in two days for Atlanta, which sent the 44th selection to the Heat on Wednesday. GM Travis Schlenk said earlier this week that he wanted to unload some of the team’s three second-rounders in exchange for future assets.
The Hawks still have four selections tonight, holding picks No. 8, 10 and 17 in the first round, along with the 35th pick. The Warriors are slotted at No. 28, 41 and 58. The three picks will cost Golden State a total of about $3.8MM against the cap and will provide a low-cost way to fill out the roster, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
Draft Notes: White, Garland, Hawks, Bazley
The Knicks held a last-minute workout with North Carolina guard Coby White this morning, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. It’s the second significant workout in less than 24 hours for New York, which brought in Vanderbilt’s Darius Garland yesterday.
White was impressive in the private session, according to Ian Begley of SNY.TV (Twitter link), and the Knicks are prepared to trade down if they get the right offer. They have also worked out Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver and met with Duke’s Cam Reddish, but are still expected to select Duke’s R.J. Barrett if they remain at No. 3.
There’s more draft news as tonight’s event draws closer:
- Some members of the Knicks organization believe Garland is a better prospect than Barrett, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. The Pelicans have discussed teaming Barrett with his Duke pal, Zion Williamson, and may be willing to surrender an asset in addition to the fourth pick to trade up to No. 3. After yesterday’s workout, Garland met with Knicks president Steve Mills, GM Scott Perry and coach David Fizdale.
- If the Knicks draft a point guard, they may look to trade Dennis Smith Jr. along with Frank Ntilikina, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday.
- The Hawks might not be done moving second-round picks after sending No. 44 to the Heat yesterday and No. 41 to the Warriors this morning. Chris Vivlamore of the Journal-Constitution tweets that Atlanta’s selection at No. 35 is also available.
- Darius Bazley appears to have a first-round promise from somebody, tweets Tony Jones of The Athletic.
- Scouts tell Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that Auburn’s Chuma Okeke, Oregon’s Bol Bol, Virginia’s Ty Jerome and Arkansas’ Daniel Gafford are being underrated in pre-draft reports.
- Teams with late first-rounders are focusing on Villanova’s Eric Paschall, tweets Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, who expects him to be taken between 19th and 30th.
Pelicans Receiving Offers For No. 4 Pick
Several teams are attempting to swing a deal with New Orleans for the fourth pick in tonight’s draft, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said today on the network’s “Get Up!” program (YouTube link). He speculates that Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin could wait until he’s on the clock before deciding whether or not to keep the selection.
Wojnarowski singles out the Hawks as a team to watch in the negotiations. They hold picks No. 8, 10 and 17 in the first round, along with No. 35 in the second round. Atlanta also has enough cap space to take on an unwanted contract such as Solomon Hill‘s, which has one more year at $12.76MM.
The Pelicans hope to be playoff contenders next season and are more interested in obtaining players than draft picks, Brian Windhorst said on the same show. He cites talks with the Timberwolves, who hold the No. 11 selection, with Robert Covington or Dario Saric as part of the package.
Windhorst confirms that Vanderbilt’s Darius Garland is the target for most of those teams. The top point guards in the draft are expected to be taken early, so the No. 4 pick is the surest way to get one.
The Hawks have talked to numerous teams, including the Knicks and Cavaliers, in an effort to move up, Windhorst adds. However, Atlanta’s offers to those teams have focused more on picks than players.
Hoops Rumors’ 2019 NBA Mock Draft
With the 2019 NBA draft just mere hours away, we’re finally set to reveal Hoops Rumors’ own mock draft. Arthur Hill and Chris Crouse of Hoops Rumors have tackled the 2019 first round, alternating picks and providing their thoughts and rationale for each selection.
Our mock draft isn’t necessarily a reflection of what we think will happen on Thursday night, but rather what Arthur and Chris feel each team should do with the 30 first-round picks. Our draft also doesn’t include trades, so a busy day on the trade market could significantly alter our projected order.
After checking out our picks, be sure to head to the comments section to weigh in with your own thoughts, opinions, and predictions.
Let’s dive in…
1. New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson, F (Duke)
Arthur Hill: It didn’t take long for the Duke freshman to prove he was the best player in college basketball. Unlike most No. 1 overall picks, Williamson comes into a solid situation with New Orleans’ upgraded roster, so he won’t need to be dominant right away. His talents will be fully unleashed in the NBA and he will be a strong favorite for Rookie of the Year.
2. Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant, G (Murray State)
Chris Crouse: Memphis traded away Mike Conley in order to make room for their new point guard of the future. Morant will likely be the selection here and he has big shoes to fill from day one.
3. New York Knicks: R.J. Barrett, F (Duke)
AH: It’s been a disappointing offseason already for the Knicks, who lost out on Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis, a healthy Kevin Durant, and probably Kyrie Irving too. They need to resist any temptation to gamble with the No. 3 pick and simply make the safe choice in Barrett. He’s a high-volume scorer who proved in college that he can be a play-maker as well. He will be a nice piece for what now looks like it could be a long rebuilding process.
4. New Orleans Pelicans: Darius Garland, G (Vanderbilt)
CC: Regardless of whether or not the Pelicans keep this selection, Garland should be the pick. He’s the fourth-best player in this draft and would arguably be in contention for a top-three selection had he played the entire season. There’s risk with this pick, but the upside is too great to allow him to fall in the draft.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Jarrett Culver, G (Texas Tech)
AH: At 6’7″ and a strong defender, Culver is an ideal complement to Collin Sexton in the Cavaliers’ backcourt. Culver was a versatile player in college, running the Texas Tech offense as well as being the team’s leading scorer. He also has a high basketball IQ and should be able to adjust to whatever role he asked to play.
6. Phoenix Suns, De’Andre Hunter, F (Virginia)
CC: The Suns may move on from Josh Jackson and T.J. Warren this offseason, which would leave their forward situation in flux. Hunter could come and add to a promising nucleus that includes Mikal Bridges, Devin Booker, and last year’s No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton.
Hawks Trade No. 44 Pick To Heat
JUNE 20, 8:18am: The 2024 second-round pick sent to the Hawks in the deal will only convey if it lands in the 51-55 range, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
That pick will be sent to Cleveland if it’s between 56-60, as a result of a previous trade. If it’s between 31-50, Miami will keep it.
JUNE 19, 8:19pm: Atlanta received $1.88MM in the trade, which could set the asking price for other second-round picks, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
JUNE 19, 4:21pm: The Hawks have traded one of their six selections in tomorrow night’s draft, sending pick No. 44 to the Heat in exchange for a future conditional second-round pick. That pick will convey in 2024, according to an email from the Hawks, who also receive cash considerations in the deal. The trade was officially announced by both teams.
The deal follows a report earlier today that Atlanta GM Travis Schlenk was looking to unload selections in the second round rather than the first. The Hawks still own picks No. 8, 10, 17, 35 and 41 in Thursday’s draft.
Miami now has a second-round selection after sending their own pick to the Timberwolves. The Heat also own a lottery pick at No. 13.
Celtics Seeking Taker For Aron Baynes
The Celtics are looking for a team with cap space to absorb Aron Baynes‘ $5.4MM contract for next season, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Baynes has an expiring deal, so it would only be a one-year commitment.
With Kyrie Irving and Al Horford both expected to leave, Boston is trying to shed salary for a run at another free agent. By unloading Baynes’ deal without taking back money, the Celtics could reach about $23MM in cap space. The team could get to $34MM by renouncing its remaining free agents, notes Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston (Twitter link), but that would mean parting with Terry Rozier and Marcus Morris.
Baynes, 32, managed just 51 games this year in an injury-plagued season. He averaged 5.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in about 16 minutes per night.
New York Notes: Barrett, Durant, Bol, Bazley
Family considerations are part of the reason R.J. Barrett wants to be drafted by the Knicks tomorrow, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. At a press conference today, Barrett explained that his grandfather was a huge Knicks fan, his mother is from Brooklyn and his father played at St. John’s.
It appears Barrett will get his wish, unless someone leapfrogs New York and makes a deal with Memphis for the No. 2 pick. He has turned down requests for a workout with the Grizzlies, saying he prefers to play for the Knicks.
“My agent and I and my parents, we just decided not to (work out for Memphis),’’ Barrett said. “Not really anything wrong with Memphis. New York is just more where I wanted to be.”
Ja Morant ranks slightly higher on the Knicks’ board, but the team will be content to stay put at No. 3 and take Barrett if that’s how the draft works out, a source tells Berman.
There’s more from New York on the eve of the draft:
- While the Knicks have clarity about their draft situation, free agency looks very different, notes Frank Isola of The Athletic. He cites league sources who believe Kevin Durant is headed to New York, even if Kyrie Irving winds up in Brooklyn. However, Isola is skeptical after hearing months of rumors that they want to play together. He adds that Durant’s Achilles surgery last week was performed by an orthopedic surgeon who formerly worked for the Knicks but is now with the Nets.
- The Nets attended a private workout for Oregon center Bol Bol last week, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.TV. Brooklyn has the 27th pick and would probably have to move up for Bol, but the foot injury he suffered in college make his draft range unpredictable.
- Darius Bazley is a name to watch if he’s still on the board for the Nets‘ selection, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The 6’10” forward didn’t play college basketball after committing to Syracuse, but he has been impressive in workouts. Lewis mentions Stanford’s KZ Okpala, Auburn’s Chuma Okeke, USC’s Kevin Porter, Arizona State’s Luguentz Dort and Croatian Luka Samanic as other possibilities at No. 27.
Wolves Trying To Deal For No. 4 Pick
The Timberwolves are trying to move up the draft board and have discussed a deal with the Pelicans involving the No. 4 pick, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times.
Stein doesn’t specify the target of such a move, but Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic presumes its Vanderbilt’s Darius Garland. Jeff Teague is entering the final year of his contract and Derrick Rose is a free agent, so the Wolves may be looking for a fresh option at point guard.
New president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas came from a star-chasing atmosphere in Houston and hopes to make a splash before his first draft in Minnesota.
“There are really good pieces on our roster. There’s a strong core,” Rosas said. “But at the same time, you win in this league with high-end players. We’re fortunate that we have a high-end player (in Karl-Anthony Towns). We have the potential for other players on our roster to be high-end players. That’s going to be part of our philosophy and part of our development and player wellness. But we are going to be very aggressive in looking at any and all opportunities to add talent to this base.”
The Wolves would have to pay a high price to move up seven slots, and Pelicans executive David Griffin has said he wants a young veteran with star potential in return. Krawczynski suggests a package including the No. 11 pick and either Josh Okogie or Robert Covington, but acknowledges the Hawks and Celtics could easily beat those offers.
“A high-end talent that is available we’re always gonna be looking at,” Rosas said. “We’re always gonna be making calls; whether it’s the trade route, high picks in the draft, or even as we prepare for free agency as well.”
Nets Debating Whether To Sign Irving Without Durant
Brooklyn is believed to be Kyrie Irving‘s top choice in free agency, but Nets officials aren’t unanimous in wanting him if they don’t sign Kevin Durant as well, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
Adding Irving would mean giving up on restricted free agent D’Angelo Russell, who is a younger and less expensive option and who blossomed into a star during his two years in Brooklyn.
Irving is eligible for a four-year, $141MM contract with a starting salary of $32MM, while a max deal for Russell would pay him $117MM over four years, starting at $27MM. Russell also strongly wants to stay in Brooklyn, telling Lewis he hopes to be a “Net for life.”
“If we’re being completely honest, I enjoyed the team that we had this whole season,” Russell said. “I’m not going to say I didn’t enjoy our team and the pieces we had around.”
Lewis notes that some teams expected to pursue Irving have backed away because of the turmoil that surrounded him in Boston.
With Russell’s cap hold in place, the Nets have about $46MM in cap space, but that number grows to nearly $68MM if he is renounced, enough for two max offers. Lewis adds that if they don’t land Irving and Durant, then Sixers forward Tobias Harris and Celtics big man Al Horford could be considered for those deals.