Trade Rumors: Covington, Randle, Henson, Celtics
The Clippers are among the teams pursuing Timberwolves forward Robert Covington, Sean Deveney of Heavy.com reports. A package of their first-round pick this year, forward Maurice Harkless, and a young player such as Jerome Robinson or Terance Mann could be enough to secure Covington, Deveney continues. Grizzlies forward Andre Iguodala, Suns center Aron Baynes and Magic guard D.J. Augustin are among the other potential targets for the Clippers, Deveney adds.
We have more trade chatter:
- The Knicks have engaged in trade talks with the Hornets involving forward Julius Randle, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer tweets. Charlotte would be a surprising landing spot for Randle, who has a guaranteed $18.9MM salary for next season. However, the Hornets have three frontcourt players with large expiring contracts and will need reinforcements.
- The Knicks had talks with the Cavaliers which included center John Henson but those discussions have died down, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets. Henson has an expiring $9.7MM contract.
- Celtics GM Danny Ainge would like to strengthen the team’s bench but doesn’t see the center position as a major weakness, Jacob Camenker of NBC Sports Boston relays. The Celtics are reportedly one of the teams interested in acquiring Rockets center Clint Capela. Ainge indicated the roster “probably too many really young guys” but claimed he’s content with Daniel Theis, Enes Kanter, and Robert Williams manning the middle. “We’re not getting beat at the center position,” Ainge said. “We’re getting 17, 18 points per night. We’re getting double-figure rebounds. We’re just doing it as a team.”
Charania’s Latest: Kuzma, Love, Russell, Covington, Rose, Drummond
While forward Kyle Kuzma has been mentioned prominently in trade rumors, the Lakers are reluctant to make a deal that would negatively impact their team chemistry, The Athletic’s Shams Charania told Alex Kennedy on a HoopsHype podcast (Twitter link). The Lakers would only consider moving the offensive-skilled power forward if they received a “high-end rotation player” in return. “Those guys really get along on and off the floor,” Charania said.
The Athletic’s top NBA writer also commented on a number of other players on the trade market:
- It’s unlikely the Cavaliers will be able to find a taker for Kevin Love and his big multi-year contract. “I don’t see a logical landing spot,” he said.
- The Knicks are willing to give up their 2018 first-round pick, forward Kevin Knox, as part of a package for the Warriors’ D’Angelo Russell. However, that doesn’t hold much appeal to the Warriors. Golden State, as Charania reported earlier, is seeking multiple unprotected first-round picks for Russell. The Timberwolves looking to acquire first-round picks for forward Robert Covington, which it would then flip in a Russell deal.
- The Rockets, Bucks and Mavericks are among the suitors for Covington, with Houston showing “a lot of interest.”
- The Pistons are seeking a great asset — a quality first-round pick — for Derrick Rose. But Rose, who missed Monday’s game at Memphis with an adductor strain, doesn’t want to be dealt. “He wants to be in Detroit,” Charania said. “Derrick feels at home and Detroit has embraced him with open arms.”
- The market for the Pistons’ Andre Drummond is “stagnant.” Drummond’s high salary and ability to opt out in the summer makes it difficult to find a suitable trade, Charania notes.
Southeast Notes: Bertans, Reddish, Washington, Winslow
The Hawks could make a run at Wizards power forward Davis Bertans this summer, according to Bleacher Report’s Michael Scotto. The Hawks will have ample cap space to pursue free agents and a stretch four like Bertans would make for a pick-and-pop combination with star point guard Trae Young, Scotto notes. Bertans, who will be an unrestricted free agent, is averaging 14.9 PPG and shooting 42.2% from deep this season. He’s a trade candidate but the latest intel claims he’s unlikely to be dealt.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Hawks rookie forward Cam Reddish has been diagnosed with a concussion, according to a team press release. Reddish suffered the head injury against Dallas on Saturday. The 10th overall pick of last year’s draft is averaging 9.1 PPG and 3.8 RPG in 26.0 MPG.
- Hornets rookie forward PJ Washington missed Monday’s game against Orlando with a right ankle sprain, the team’s PR department tweets. Washington also sat out the previous game after suffering the injury against Washington on Thursday. Washington, the 12th pick in the draft, is averaging 12.2 PPG and 5.3 RPG in 30.1 MPG.
- It remains uncertain when Heat forward Justise Winslow will return to action, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald relays. Coach Erik Spoeltra wasn’t sure if Winslow would join the team for the start of its five-game road trip on Tuesday, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets. Winslow has played in just one game since December 6 because of a lower back bone bruise.
Top-10 Prospect RJ Hampton Leaves Australia To Prep For Draft
Projected lottery pick RJ Hampton has returned to the U.S. to continue rehabbing a hip flexor injury and prepare for this June’s draft, according to an NBL.com post.
The 18-year-old point guard chose to play in Australia’s National Basketball League rather than be a one-and-done college prospect. Hampton posted modest stats in 15 NBL games, averaging 8.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 2.4 APG. He played his final game with the Breakers on January 12.
Hampton is currently ranked No. 7 overall by ESPN and fourth among point guards behind LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Haliburton and Cole Anthony. Hampton’s explosiveness and versatile offensive game, along with his length and size at 6’5”, make him an intriguing combo guard, according to ESPN’s Mike Schmitz.
NBL Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger offered a positive assessment of Hampton upon his departure.
“RJ leaves the NBL as a projected top ten pick in the NBA Draft. There is no doubt the time he has spent in a world class league in the NBL has helped prepare him for the next step in his professional career. Like all NBL Next Stars, we are proud to have played a part in his journey to the NBA and have enjoyed getting to know him and his family. We wish him every success and look forward to following his career in the years to come.”
Hampton is the second lottery-level prospect to leave the NBL within the last week. LaMelo Ball recently returned stateside after spending most of the season with the Illawarra Hawks.
Iguodala Could Sit Out Season If He Isn’t Dealt
Grizzlies forward Andre Iguodala is preparing to sit out the remainder of the season if he’s not dealt to one of his preferred destinations by Thursday’s trade deadline, David Aldridge of The Athletic tweets.
Iguodala has been in limbo since the Warriors traded him to Memphis during the offseason. Iguodala and the Grizzlies’ front office mutually agreed that he didn’t have to play there but Memphis has tried mightily to use the former Finals MVP as a trade chip. The Grizzlies haven’t been willing to buy him out, at least until the trade deadline expires.
Iguodala said last month that he’s in shape and ready to get back on the court. But even though the surprising Grizzlies are in postseason contention, he apparently has no interest in joining their playoff push.
Iguodala has an expiring $17MM contract and salary matching is one of the issues that has hindered a deal to a prime contender. There has been talk that Igoudala could get moved to the Mavericks but recent reports suggest that’s not the case.
Trade Rumors: Clippers, Pelicans, Randle, Rose
Appearing today on The Lowe Post with Zach Lowe, Brian Windhorst of ESPN said the Clippers are in the market for a center, which is something Marc Stein of The New York Times and others have reported as well.
While Ivica Zubac and Montrezl Harrell have been very effective so far this season in Los Angeles, Windhorst suggested the Clippers may be a little nervous about entering a playoff series against Rudy Gobert and the Jazz or Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets with that frontcourt duo.
Windhorst mentioned Pistons big man Andre Drummond as a possible Clippers target, though he cautions that such a deal would be difficult, noting that Drummond is simply a best-case example of the type of player L.A. may be targeting. A lower-cost option like Suns center Aron Baynes would also be a good fit for the Clips, in Windhorst’s view.
The Clippers have been linked to a wide variety of potential trade targets at a few positions this winter, and appear willing to move their 2020 first-round pick to upgrade their roster. During his discussion with Windhorst, Lowe said the Clips look like “the biggest lock in the league to do something,” adding later in the podcast that he’d be shocked if they weren’t willing to give up that first-rounder for Marcus Morris.
Here are a few more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:
- Rather than selling, the Pelicans may actually be interested in acquiring another veteran player at the deadline, according to Windhorst, who said on The Lowe Post that New Orleans believes its early-season struggles could be attributed in part to how young the team’s roster was.
- The Knicks have had some internal discussions about gauging Julius Randle‘s trade value, sources tell Marc Berman of The New York Post. Randle is the only one of New York’s 2019 free agent signees who has a fully guaranteed salary for 2020/21, and Berman suggests that moving him would create more flexibility to re-sign Marcus Morris. The Knicks will have the ability to open up plenty of room even with Randle still on their books.
- Derrick Rose, who left Sunday’s game with an injury initially believed to be a groin issue, has been ruled out for Monday’s contest with an adductor strain. Rod Beard of The Detroit News takes a look at whether Rose’s injury could throw a wrench into the Pistons‘ trade deadline plans.
Wizards Considering Buying At Deadline?
There’s a chance that the Wizards could emerge as an under-the-radar buyer at this season’s trade deadline, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said today on The Lowe Post podcast with Zach Lowe.
Although the Wizards’ record is just 17-31, they’re only 3.5 games removed from the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. The 21-27 Nets and 21-28 Magic aren’t exactly running away with the final two playoff spots, and only one team (the 19-33 Bulls) currently sits between Washington and those seventh and eighth seeds.
Besides the fact that the Wizards can still talk themselves into a playoff chase, they also may be tempted to make a move for Bradley Beal‘s sake. As Windhorst notes, Beal has expressed some frustration lately, first with the Wizards’ “culture” and then with an All-Star snub that could be attributed in large part to Washington’s losing record.
Although Beal signed an extension with the Wizards last offseason, that wasn’t a long-term deal. He can still reach free agency in 2022, and could make things difficult for the franchise before then if he expresses discontent with his situation. It’s safe to assume Beal would rather push for the postseason than see the front office sell off productive veterans like Davis Bertans and bottom out.
Even if the Wizards do look for an upgrade at the deadline, they seem unlikely to do anything drastic, such as giving up a first-round pick. Windhorst points to Cavaliers big man Tristan Thompson, who is reportedly on the trade block, as one possible target for the team. If Cleveland is willing to let Thompson go for Ian Mahinmi‘s expiring contract and a second-round pick, perhaps the Wizards would be motivated to make a move, but the Cavs will probably be aiming higher for their longest-tenured player.
Celtics Among Teams Exploring Clint Capela Trade
The Celtics are among the teams engaged in talks with the Rockets about a possible Clint Capela trade, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Boston has long been considered a possible fit for Capela, since the team has relied for most of the season on low-cost big men like Enes Kanter and Daniel Theis. Acquiring an impact center like Capela, who’s capable of rim-running on offense and protecting the paint on defense, could make sense for a club that’s loaded with quality wings and has Kemba Walker running the show at the point.
Capela’s $14.9MM cap hit complicates matters to some extent, since the Celtics likely don’t want to move Marcus Smart and have no other expendable mid-level-type contracts for salary-matching purposes. Still, it’s not impossible for Boston to match Capela’s salary without using Smart — the team could package three less expensive players, including one or both of Kanter and Theis, to get to the necessary $9.9MM. Houston may not want to cut multiple players to accommodate those incoming pieces, but some could hypothetically be re-routed to teams with open roster spots.
The Celtics also have extra first-round picks available to include in a trade, if they so choose. In addition to their own 2020 first-round selection, the C’s hold the Grizzlies’ top-six protected first-rounder, and the Bucks’ first-rounder.
As Wojnarowski notes (via Twitter), the Rockets’ ultimate goal in dealing Capela would be to acquire a wing and another center. Securing a package that features one of Boston’s centers and a first-round pick which could be flipped for a wing would be one path to achieving that goal. Robert Covington and Andre Iguodala are among the players on Houston’s radar, Woj adds.
The Hawks have been cited most frequently as a potential landing spot for Capela, and the Kings are said to have expressed interest as well.
Spurs Rumors: Gay, Carroll, Belinelli, Bertans
The Spurs are “looking at everything” and weighing a variety of potential paths at the trade deadline, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on a Sunday podcast with Bobby Marks. At 22-26, San Antonio is 1.5 games behind the eighth-seeded Grizzlies and is at risk of missing the postseason for the first time since the turn of the century. The club will have to decide whether to push to continue that streak, take a step back and retool, or simply stand pat.
Having spoken with executives around the NBA, Jabari Young of CNBC Sports says there’s a belief the Spurs want to push for the playoffs. “They are 100% obsessed with getting that eighth seed,” one executive told Young.
If that’s the case, it wouldn’t make sense for San Antonio to trade DeMar DeRozan or LaMarcus Aldridge. However, moving Rudy Gay is a scenario that rival executives consider more realistic, Young suggests.
“If they get a nice asset back, I think they would do something with Rudy Gay, but I think their asking price is too high,” an exec told Young.
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- In his conversation with Marks, Wojnarowski speculated that the Spurs may view the idea of trading veterans like DeRozan, Aldridge, and Gay as an “all-or-nothing” proposition. In other words, in the unlikely event that the team could move all three players and get good value back, it could be worth rebooting the roster. Otherwise, it might not make sense to move just one or two of them.
- The Spurs are working with agent Mark Bartelstein in an effort to find a new home for little-used veteran forward DeMarre Carroll, according to Jabari Young. After signing a three-year deal with San Antonio last summer, Carroll has appeared in just 15 total games this season, including two since Christmas. He has admitted that his reduced role has been “difficult.”
- According to Young, the Spurs are also shopping Marco Belinelli, a 37.5% career three-point shooter who is on a $5.85MM expiring contract. No serious suitors have emerged for Belinelli, who is considered a liability on defense, Young adds.
- If Davis Bertans hadn’t been traded last summer, he would’ve seriously considered re-signing with the Spurs in the summer of 2020, a league source tells Michael Scotto of Bleacher Report. That ship has probably sailed now though, according to Scotto, who revisits the saga that saw Marcus Morris renege on a free agent agreement with San Antonio. Morris didn’t tell the franchise directly that he was backing out of his commitment and the Spurs learned of his intentions after he failed to show up for his physical, says Scotto.
Woj’s Latest: Love, Bucks, Lakers, Clippers, More
ESPN insiders Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks published a pair of podcasts on Sunday examining each of the NBA’s two conferences, breaking down trade possibilities and scenarios for a number of teams.
The two podcasts, which are worth listening to in full, included several interesting notes and tidbits on the trade market, so we’ll pass along several of the highlights right here:
Eastern Conference (full podcast link):
- The Cavaliers are resigned to the fact that they likely won’t end up moving Kevin Love by Thursday, per Wojnarowski. Unless something “comes out of nowhere,” Cleveland may end up having to revisit Love’s trade market in the offseason, Woj adds.
- Based on how well they’ve played this season, the Bucks will be somewhat “risk-averse” at the deadline, according to Wojnarowski. Although Milwaukee may make a move, the buyout market could be a safer bet for an upgrade around the edges of their roster. For what it’s worth, ESPN’s Zach Lowe suggested today that, given their crowded rotation, the Bucks could use Indiana’s 2020 first-round pick to make “some sort of consolidation trade” if they don’t think it’d disrupt their chemistry.
- Wojnarowski is hearing the same thing that Lowe is about Hawks center John Collins — teams have been monitoring him, and Atlanta is in the market a for a center, but it would be a surprise if the club trades Collins at this point.
- If the Pistons can get a first-round pick for Andre Drummond, they seem likely pull the trigger. If not, they may have to decide whether it’s worth it to accept expiring contracts and a second-rounder or two, says Wojnarowski.
- The Nets are active in trade talks and could make a deal as long as it makes sense for next year’s team, according to Woj and Marks. For what it’s worth, while sources told Lowe that Brooklyn won’t trade players such as Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, or Jarrett Allen for draft picks, Lowe wonders if the Nets will eventually consider a move involving a player like Dinwiddie and LeVert, since the team’s backcourt hasn’t fully meshed when everyone has been healthy this year.
Western Conference (full podcast link):
- While the Lakers and Clippers may be active on the trade market, they may not be feeling tremendous pressure to do anything, since they’re expected to be the top two choices for many players on the buyout market, Wojnarowski points out.
- Andre Iguodala, for instance, would almost certainly gravitate toward either the Lakers or Clippers if he’s bought out, per Wojnarowski. However, as we’ve heard all season, the Grizzlies remain firm on finding a trade and avoiding a buyout for the former Finals MVP.
- Speaking of Iguodala, Wojnarowski says the Rockets tried for “months” to find a way to acquire him, exploring a number of multi-team possibilities. They’ve backed off that pursuit after not finding any viable scenarios
- Woj and Marks agree that there’s no pressure on the Thunder to move any of their veteran trade candidates. Lowe made a similar point today, writing that it could make sense to stand pat with guys like Danilo Gallinari, Dennis Schroder, and Steven Adams, who could be traded (or signed-and-traded, in Gallinari’s case) in the summer.