Sixers Open To Discussing Ben Simmons In Harden Trade Talks?
6:43pm: Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has responded to the reports on Simmons’ potential availability, issuing the following statement to Charania (Twitter link): “We are not trading Ben Simmons — he is an important part of our future.”
While Morey’s statement suggests there will be no traction anytime soon on a swap involving Harden and Simmons, that possibility can’t be entirely ruled out. With both ESPN and The Athletic reporting on the Sixers’ openness to discussing Simmons, there’s likely something to it, and Morey has made this sort of declaration before about a player he later traded.
5:51pm: The Sixers have “signaled a willingness” to include Ben Simmons in trade packages for James Harden, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne. Shams Charania of The Athletic is hearing the same thing, tweeting that the 76ers have made Simmons available in talks with the Rockets for Harden.
However, ESPN’s duo reports that those discussions have “come nowhere close” to a deal, and Charania conveys a similar sentiment, writing that conversations between the two teams “aren’t fluid” for the time being.
While the Rockets and 76ers haven’t gained any momentum toward an agreement, Houston is increasingly expanding trade talks beyond Harden’s preferred destinations, according to Wojnarowski and Shelburne. Sources tell ESPN that the Rockets are engaged in ongoing discussions on several fronts and have been keeping in touch with Harden about those scenarios.
A number of playoff-caliber teams in the East and West are feeling “less inhibited” about trading for Harden without any assurances that they’d be able to keep him beyond his opt-out date in 2022, according to Wojnarowski and Shelburne, who add that those teams appear increasingly comfortable discussing high-level trade assets.
For their part, the Rockets haven’t moved off their reported asking price of a young franchise cornerstone and draft picks, and are prepared to open the season with Harden on their roster, per Woj and Shelburne. However, ESPN’s duo says the Rockets are also signaling to teams that they’re willing to complete a trade sooner rather than later if the right deal arises.
A report last week indicated that the Sixers appear best positioned to acquire Harden if they’re willing to part with Simmons — that still seems to be the case, though Philadelphia and Houston would have to haggle over what else would be included in a hypothetical swap of the All-Star guards. One recent report suggested the Rockets would want three first-round picks in addition to Simmons, which seems unrealistic.
The Rockets’ interest in the Nets‘ assets is limited, sources tell ESPN, so a third team may be necessary to get the former MVP to Brooklyn.
Harden’s list of preferred destinations reportedly includes Milwaukee and Miami as well, though the Bucks aren’t believed to be interested in pursuing a deal, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN said today on his Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to RealGM). The Heat sound more open to exploring the possibility of adding Harden, and ESPN’s report suggests that other teams may be in the mix as well.
Northwest Notes: McLaughlin, Harris, Barton, Lillard
The deadline for restricted free agents to accept a qualifying offer typically falls on October 1, but due to the NBA’s revamped calendar for 2020/21, that deadline has moved to today, says Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). That means that Jordan McLaughlin, the last remaining RFA in the league, will no longer be able to accept his QO after today unless the Timberwolves extend that deadline.
McLaughlin’s qualifying offer is for a two-way deal, but he’s not expected to accept it, according to Wolfson (Twitter links), who says that the second-year guard could sign a standard contract today if he wanted to. The Timberwolves are willing to promote McLaughlin to the 15-man roster, but want to do so on their terms, so the two sides continue to negotiate a new agreement, Wolfson adds (Twitter links).
If the Timberwolves don’t extend the deadline for McLaughlin to accept his qualifying offer, he’ll remain a restricted free agent, but without that QO as a fallback option. The deadline for him to sign an offer sheet with another team would typically be on March 1, but figures to be pushed back to April this season.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on his Hoop Collective podcast today that the Nuggets tried to trade Gary Harris to “several different places” during the offseason (hat tip to RealGM). It doesn’t come as a real surprise that Harris was shopped, though it was likely more about his contract than his on-court value — his $19.6MM cap hit made him a logical salary-matching piece in any offer for an impact player, and we know Denver at least pursued Jrue Holiday.
- After stating earlier this month that he believes he’s a “clear-cut” starter, Nuggets wing Will Barton came off the bench in his preseason debut on Wednesday. After the game though, he reiterated that he’s not ready to embrace a sixth-man role, according to Kendra Andrews of The Athletic. “I am a starter,” Barton said. “I have no plans on being a sixth man. I have no desire to be that.”
- Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard believes he can be a viable candidate for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award in 2020/21, as Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com writes. “I feel like I’ve had a few MVP-level seasons, I just think with those seasons, you’ve got to be winning,” Lillard said. “I think the two years that we were a three-seed back-to-back years, I thought I had big years, it was just that guys on one and two seed teams had big years as well. That was that. But I feel like if we’re a winning team and we’re in that top two, top three, then I think it’s definitely a real possibility.”
Charges Against Kevin Porter Jr. Dropped
All charges against Cavaliers swingman Kevin Porter Jr. following an arrest last month have been dropped, reports ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. On November 15, the 20-year-old flipped his Mercedes SUV on a highway near Cleveland. When they arrived at the scene, police discovered marijuana and a loaded handgun in the SUV.
The second-year guard out of USC was subsequently charged with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, a felony, in addition to misdemeanors for driving without a license and marijuana possession. Marijuana remains illegal for recreational use in Ohio. A Mahoning County grand jury opted against indicting Porter on any of the charges.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, Porter could still face a suspension or fine from the NBA if the league feels that is warranted based on its own investigation.
For his rookie season in Cleveland, Porter averaged 10.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 2.2 APG. He posted a shooting slash line of .442/.335/.723.
Rockets Sign Trey Mourning To Camp Deal
DECEMBER 17: The Rockets have officially signed Mourning to a non-guaranteed deal, sources tell Iko (Twitter link).
DECEMBER 15: Forward Trey Mourning will sign with the Rockets in the coming days, according to Kelly Iko of the Athletic (Twitter link). Mourning is a former Georgetown Hoya like his father, Hall-of-Fame center Alonzo Mourning, a seven-time All Star who won a title with the Heat in 2006.
Trey Mourning went undrafted in 2019, but joined the Heat’s 2019 Summer League roster. Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, subsequently selected the 6’9″ forward with the No. 2 pick in the 2019 G League draft.
During the 2019/20 season, Mourning appeared in 36 games for Sioux Falls, averaging 5.6 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 12.6 MPG. He averaged 3.2 PPG and 2.0 RPG in 62 games over a four-year tenure with Georgetown.
Mourning, who figures to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with Houston, could end up joining Houston’s G League club, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, in Edinburg, Texas. The Vipers would have to acquire his NBAGL rights from Sioux Falls.
2020/21 NBA Over/Unders: Pacific Division
The 2020/21 NBA regular season will get underway on December 22, so we’re getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign.
With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.
Of course, there are plenty of wild cards to take into account this season. For one, teams are scheduled to play 72 games instead of 82, so if you’re picking a team to win 41 games, you’re not just expecting them to be a .500 club — you’re projecting them to finish 10 games above .500. For each team’s over/under below, we’ve noted the record they’d have to achieve to finish “over” their projection, as a reminder.
It’s also worth noting that the coronavirus pandemic could cause some games to be canceled in 2020/21. We don’t want you to have to take possible cancellations into account when making your picks though, so don’t let that stop you from taking the “over.” If a team has a couple games canceled, we’ll adjust their over/under figure downward, so you’re essentially just projecting that team’s winning percentage.
We’ll turn today to the Pacific…
Los Angeles Lakers
- 2019/20 record: 52-19
- Over/under for 2020/21: 48.5 wins (49-23)
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Lakers win in 2020/21?
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Over 48.5 79% (371)
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Under 48.5 21% (98)
Total votes: 469
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Lakers poll.
Los Angeles Clippers
- 2019/20 record: 49-23
- Over/under for 2020/21: 47.5 wins (48-24)
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Clippers win in 2020/21?
-
Under 47.5 50% (210)
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Over 47.5 50% (207)
Total votes: 417
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Clippers poll.
Phoenix Suns
- 2019/20 record: 34-39
- Over/under for 2020/21: 40.5 wins (41-31)
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Suns win in 2020/21?
-
Over 40.5 51% (210)
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Under 40.5 49% (202)
Total votes: 412
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Suns poll.
Golden State Warriors
- 2019/20 record: 15-50
- Over/under for 2020/21: 38.5 wins (39-33)
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Kelly Oubre, Kent Bazemore, Brad Wanamaker, James Wiseman
- Lost: Ky Bowman
- Note: Klay Thompson will be out for the season with a torn Achilles.
How many games will the Warriors win in 2020/21?
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Over 38.5 60% (257)
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Under 38.5 40% (169)
Total votes: 426
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Warriors poll.
Sacramento Kings
- 2019/20 record: 31-41
- Over/under for 2020/21: 29.5 wins (30-42)
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Kings win in 2020/21?
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Under 29.5 61% (232)
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Over 29.5 39% (150)
Total votes: 382
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Kings poll.
Previous voting results:
- Boston Celtics (45.5 wins): Over (66.3%)
- Brooklyn Nets (45.5 wins): Over (58.6%)
- Philadelphia 76ers (44.5 wins): Over (57.4%)
- Toronto Raptors (42.5 wins): Over (54.7%)
- New York Knicks (22.5 wins): Under (59.5%)
- Denver Nuggets (44.5 wins): Over (69.7%)
- Utah Jazz (42.5 wins): Over (59.9%)
- Portland Trail Blazers (41.5 wins): Over (70.1%)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (29.5 wins): Under (50.3%)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (22.5 wins): Under (64.4%)
- Milwaukee Bucks (51.5 wins): Over (73.7%)
- Indiana Pacers (39.5 wins): Over (57.9%)
- Chicago Bulls (29.5 wins): Under (61.6%)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (23.5 wins): Under (68.5%)
- Detroit Pistons (22.5 wins): Over (53.9%)
Latest On Rudy Gobert, Jazz
Like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jazz center Rudy Gobert is eligible to sign a five-year, super-max extension by December 21. However, despite the fact that Gobert and the Jazz are discussing a new deal, a super-max extension doesn’t appear to be a realistic outcome.
“I have been told that he did not ask for the full super-max,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said of Gobert during an appearance on Brian Windhorst’s Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to RealGM). “I know there has been some reporting in Utah that he did. I’ve been told that is not true. That he did not ask for the full super-max.
“I don’t know what neighborhood the Jazz are in. There’s a gulf there. We will see if that gap is closed before the super-max extension deadline. He can also do a lesser extension during the season.”
Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (audio link) and Porter Larsen of Utah’s ESPN 700 (Twitter link) have both suggested that Gobert’s camp has sought a super-max extension (starting at 35% of the 2021/22 cap), while the Jazz countered with something in the range of his “normal” max (120% of his current $27.5MM salary).
However, it’s not entirely clear where that report originated. Porter Larsen appeared today to credit Andy Larsen (Twitter links), while Andy added an “if reports are accurate” caveat when discussing those figures (Twitter link). MacMahon’s comments on Windhorst’s podcast cast further doubt on whether Gobert’s asking price was ever that high.
In any case, it seems safe to assume that the two sides are attempting to reach an agreement on a potential extension and that the Jazz are likely unwilling to commit to a full super-max contract for Gobert. Such a deal would be worth over $228MM, which is more appropriate for a two-time MVP like Antetokounmpo than a player like Gobert, who is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year but isn’t a perennial MVP candidate.
An extension worth Gobert’s standard max (rather than the super-max) would be worth approximately $148MM over four years, which seems more palatable for the Jazz. It’s less than what Gobert could get from Utah if he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer, but it would top what a rival team could offer him at that point ($145MM for four years).
If the Jazz are serious about getting a deal done sooner rather than later, they’ll likely need to offer something in that range, since the expectation is that there will be other clubs willing to make Gobert that sort of offer in free agency in 2021, Windhorst said today on the Hoop Collective podcast.
“I think if he doesn’t get extended, there will be a handful of teams that will line up ready to pay him the max,” Windhorst said. “So the Jazz should know that and they should operate that way. If they want to haggle on certain aspects of the contract (they can), but– it’s not the super-max, but I don’t think they’re getting away without giving him the max.”
As MacMahon noted, while December 21 is the super-max extension deadline, Gobert and the Jazz could continue discussing a standard extension into the regular season.
Southwest Notes: Harden, Rockets, K. Johnson, D. White, Mavs
Within his latest look at the James Harden saga in Houston, Sam Amick of The Athletic writes that the Rockets star’s “ball-dominant style, defensive reputation and personality” appear to be limiting the amount of interest on the trade market. Teams not on Harden’s reported wish list have concerns about both cost and fit, says Amick.
“Harden is a terrific scorer, but not a champion,” one front office executive told The Athletic. “He isn’t a two-way player and (he’s) hard to play with. … He is so used to getting his own way, I think there are concerns he can negatively affect a team’s culture.”
While Harden’s preferred landing spot – the Nets, Sixers, Bucks, and Heat – may be more viable destinations, rival executives are “extremely skeptical” that Houston and Brooklyn will reach a deal, and Milwaukee looks like a long shot too, according to Amick.
Philadelphia may be the most viable option, given Daryl Morey‘s strong affinity for Harden, but the 76ers are committed to giving the Ben Simmons/Joel Embiid duo an opportunity to play under Doc Rivers. As for Miami, sources close to the situation are skeptical that the Heat will want to try to assimilate Harden into their culture built on “discipline and dirty work,” says Amick.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- The Rockets announced today that they plan to host fans at the Toyota Center to start the season, with a reduced capacity and healthy and safety protocols in place. The team is expected to allow between 3,000 and 3,700 in the building, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.
- Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said on Tuesday that second-year forward Keldon Johnson, who has been sidelined so far this month due to a foot injury, won’t be ready for the team’s regular season opener, but could be good to go in “a couple of weeks,” writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Derrick White (left toe surgery) will likely be out longer than that, per Popovich. “(Johnson is) going 3-on-3 now,” Popovich said. “He has contact and he’s competing. … Derrick’s further behind (in his rehab). He’s not out on the floor competing or doing anything of that nature.”
- The Mavericks achieved their offseason goals of improving their defense and gaining more future cap flexibility, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who surprisingly projects the club to finish with the second-best record in the Western Conference (47-25).
Raptors Notes: Anunoby, Lowry, Arena Plans, Bembry
Now that Giannis Antetokounmpo is no longer on track to reach free agency in 2021 and preserving as much cap room as possible for next summer may no longer been as high a priority for the Raptors, a rookie scale extension for three-and-D wing OG Anunoby before Monday’s deadline looks like a more realistic possibility.
According to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca, Anunoby’s camp is thought to be seeking a deal similar to the one Fred VanVleet just signed (four years, $85MM), while the Raptors will likely counter with an annual salary closer to $15MM per year. Lewenberg wonders if the two sides might ultimately agree to something in the $17-18MM range.
Although the Raptors view Anunoby as a big part of its future, there’s no guarantee that will find common ground in the coming days. If the 23-year-old doesn’t sign a new contract on or before Monday, he’ll become a restricted free agent during the 2021 offseason.
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- Kyle Lowry is also entering a contract year, but he said today that he hasn’t spoken to the front office about his future beyond this season (Twitter link via Lewenberg). “My goal is to stay focused on trying to win a championship for the Raptors,” Lowry said. “I’ll let the other stuff play itself out.” Unlike Anunoby, Lowry isn’t currently eligible to sign an extension.
- Despite not playing in their home city to start the 2020/21 regular season, the Raptors will be one of a handful of NBA teams hosting fans in their arena. The club issued a press release earlier this week announcing plans to host 3,800 fans for regular season games in Tampa. According to the Raptors, no seats within 30 feet of the court will be available, and a number of other safety measures will be in place, including fans being required to wear masks and practice physical distancing while in the building. Fans will also be screened when they enter the arena and will be prohibited from bringing in bags.
- DeAndre’ Bembry is making a strong impression on Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, who said that it’s “hard to keep (him) off the floor,” per Blake Murphy of The Athletic (Twitter link). The newly-signed swingman sounds like a good bet to be one of the first players off the bench for the club.
Rockets Notes: Clemons, Wall, Cousins, Wood, Harden, JVG
A few of Chris Clemons‘ Rockets teammates know exactly what the second-year guard is going through, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Like Clemons, who tore his Achilles tendon on Tuesday, DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, and David Nwaba have all had to attempt to make their way back to full health after suffering a torn Achilles.
“I spoke with him last night after the game,” Cousins said. “My only message was just take your time. One thing I noticed with professional athletes and injuries, we love our craft, we love the game itself. Once you have tough off, you’re always itching to get back and play that game.
“… We’re so used to playing through pain. Sometimes, we feel like we’re in a good place when it’s not necessarily the case. My only message is take his time, get everything right, he has a lot of basketball left to play in his career.”
The only silver lining of the injury for Clemons is that he’ll now be assured of his $1.52MM salary for 2020/21 — it was previously non-guaranteed. The Rockets, who are up against a hard cap, figure to keep Clemons on their roster since they don’t currently have the flexibility to replace him with a free agent if they cut him.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN details (via Twitter), Houston could attempt to make room for another player by trading Clemons (along with a second-round pick) to another club. If the Rockets are uninterested in such a move, they’ll likely have to waive either Gerald Green or Bruno Caboclo before the regular season begins in order to stay below the hard cap.
Here’s more from out of Houston:
- John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins will sit out the Rockets’ preseason finale on Thursday vs. San Antonio, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. The club is handling both players carefully, since they’re coming off major injuries. Meanwhile, Christian Wood – who missed Houston’s first three preseason contests with a sore left elbow – is considered questionable to play.
- It’s a bit of a worrisome sign that James Harden said during his media session on Wednesday that he hasn’t had a conversation at all with new Rockets GM Rafael Stone, writes Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Even if Harden remains dead-set on being traded, a deal of that magnitude will require some communication between the superstar guard and the Rockets’ head of basketball operations, Iko says.
- Sources tell Marc Berman of The New York Post that Jeff Van Gundy probably could have had the Rockets’ head coaching job this offseason, but “was indifferent toward it.” Van Gundy was said to be owner Tilman Fertitta‘s top choice, though it seemed as if the team’s front office and players preferred other candidates. Either way, Van Gundy sounds happy with his current job, telling Berman that he’s “real fortunate to be able to work at ESPN/ABC.”
Knicks Sign, Waive Louis King
10:59am: The Knicks, as expected, have waived King, the team announced (via Twitter).
8:14am: One day after clearing waivers, free agent forward Louis King has caught on with a new team, having signed a contract with the Knicks, according to a press release.
While terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, it figures to be an Exhibit 10 contract. King is unlikely to make New York’s regular season roster, but could end up playing for the Westchester Knicks in the G League as an affiliate player.
King, 21, spent his rookie season on a two-way contract with the Pistons after going undrafted out of Oregon in 2019. He played just 62 minutes in 10 games at the NBA level, but was a regular for the Grand Rapids Drive, averaging 15.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 2.8 APG in 31 NBAGL games (28.5 MPG).
King signed a new two-way contract with Detroit for the 2020/21 season, but was waived on Monday by the club.
The Knicks now have a full 20-man training camp roster for the time being. King and at least two other players will have to be cut by Monday’s regular season roster deadline.