The Mavericks ended up making just one relatively modest move at the trade deadline, acquiring J.J. Redick and Nicolo Melli in a trade with New Orleans. However, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, that deal may have been a fail-safe option for Dallas as the team explored other options leading up to last Thursday afternoon.
As Fischer explains, the Mavericks also explored a trade that would have sent James Johnson and two second-round pick to Orlando in a package for Evan Fournier. The Magic ultimately chose a similar offer from Boston that allowed them to create a $17MM+ trade exception instead of taking back a matching salary like Johnson’s.
The Mavericks also spoke to the Rockets about Victor Oladipo, sources tell Fischer, but those talks didn’t gain momentum.
Here’s more from Fischer:
- During the James Harden trade talks earlier in the year, the Rockets never projected much interest in hanging onto Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert as part of that deal, Fischer says. Houston didn’t view Allen as a long-term frontcourt fit alongside Christian Wood and wanted to roll the dice on Oladipo recapturing his All-NBA form, a gamble that didn’t work out.
- Fischer lists the Raptors, Bulls, Mavericks, Clippers, Celtics, Heat, Hornets, Nets, Knicks, and Lakers as teams that showed some level of interest in Cavaliers center Andre Drummond before he was bought out, but none of those clubs could ultimately put together a package that matched the big man’s $28.75MM salary and also appealed to Cleveland. After he was bought out, Drummond was intrigued by the Celtics and spoke to Boston point guard (and fellow UConn alum) Kemba Walker, but ultimately decided to sign with the Lakers.
- With Drummond now in Los Angeles, some executives are wondering whether the Lakers will consider buying out Marc Gasol, per Fischer. “When they get fully healthy, it’s gonna be a logjam,” one assistant GM said, referring to a frontcourt that also features big men Anthony Davis and Montrezl Harrell, along with power forwards LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma. It’s worth noting Gasol has a second guaranteed year on his contract, though it’s only worth the minimum.
Rockets don’t intend to lose any game but target top 4 picks
IMO
They intend to be the worst team.
They should be hunting for teenagers
My fear is that they’ll land a top 4 pick but try to trade it for an established star. They need to do a retool with young athletic players.
The Rockets are tied with Detroit for the second worst record in the NBA and are well on pace for their first losing season in 15 years (which may sound quite amazing but it’s true).
They finally have two experienced, legitimate centers (also in their prime) on their roster for the first time in years, since they had Howard and Omer Asik in 2014. Capela was a raw young prospect when Dwight was still in Houston.
So even though they seem to be one of the worst teams this season, that won’t last long. They should be able to get a good pick in the draft, if not Cade then one of the good SG’s who can replace Harden. Houston could very well be the most improved team in the NBA next season, and might possibly be back in the playoffs as soon as 2022.
I almost squirted water out of my nose when I read you saying Asik “in his prime”. You mean the same guy they had to give a poison pill contract to to pry him from the Bulls? The same dude who went into a downward spiral when he left Chicago? You kid, are hilarious.
I’m a Warriors fan, so every time we have eliminated the Rockets, I call that a losing season for them.
Their front office is also really dumb. Zion didn’t turn the Pels into instant contenders, and neither will any of these great young stud prospects in the upcoming draft. The Western Conference is actually hard to make the playoffs in, unlike the perpetually-bad East. Rockets are many years away from postseason no matter what happens.
Zion is overrated. He dunks. That’s all. He’s a younger fatter Blake Griffin.
Griffin many great years. What’s wrong with that
Didn’t say he didn’t, but many people said Zion was the next best thing when I said he’s another Griffin. Just saying, you can find a star anywhere in the draft, doesn’t have to be the 1st overall pick.
I would’ve taken Ja instead in a re-draft.
Seriously???
LaMelo has been better this year as a rookie than Morant in either of his both seasons, facts.
Also both LaMelo & Zion can shoot, Morant makes Russ look like a sniper, just sayin’… btw Morant doesn’t do much more than dunk, right?
You’re making my point. You don’t have to be the top pick to be the best player in the draft. Plus, Ja and Lamelo we’re not in the same draft class. So what exactly was your point?
Zion did not match what his potential out the gate was supposed to be from the start. He was supposed to be a great defender and he is completely a 1 dimensional player right now. If he was a good two way player his team might have performed better.
To be fair, the Pelicans seem a bit schizophrenic. I think they compiled a lot of potential talent with no real leader or direction at this point. That is on management, not the players. Zion has a ton of potential, as does a guy like Ingram, but that team needs a leader, and I don’t think they have one. Quite frankly, I have thought Lonzo Ball to be overrated from day one and they would do well to move him or just let him walk as a FA. The Pelicans have some really good players, but I don’t see them fulfilling their potential with that franchise. I see guys like Zion and Ingram shining elsewhere at some point.
NO franchise is Zion n Ingram they aren’t going anywhere. SVG has not done well but can do better there. Considering he’s a D and team guy. No rim protector has hurt them. Don’t know why you resign Adams. And Ball has to go. Kira is the future at PG there. They probably move ball at draft. Get what you can and move away. NO has third worst defensive rating in NBA. They also don’t close out games. That’s leadership and PG play. I like SVG but it seems he’s never really gotten control of this team. They still are around .500 but seem worse.
Zion is 20 years old putting up a 27.9 PER good for 4th in the league behind only Embiid, Jokic, and Giannis
and a 5.2 BPM, good for “only” 12th in the League.
Again, he’s 20 years old.
@Marty
Wait…you’re a Warriors fan? And all this time I thought you were an objective, insightful individual. Well, back to the drawing board, folks!
Houston will be a lottery team for the next 5-6 years. And, most likely bottom 5 team.
Robohouston is always wrong about Rox greatness. They will be terrible for some time, albeit entertaining. They will be a tryout spot for loose marbles and lottery picks.
Would love if lakers bought out gasol. Frees up a spot for someone who is gonna ride the pine. Then bring back Damian Jones for remaining season
Both Allen and LeVert are better players with stronger futures than Christian Wood, but sure if you were trying to get really a bad return for a hall of famer in Harden, go ahead, Rockets….
Both better with stronger futures than a guy who was a lock for most improved player before his injury. Right. I suppose the Warriors also have a stronger future than the Rockets right now. Let’s see how things go for them in 2022 if Thompson fails to return to form and Steph doesn’t win his third MVP.
They kinda do tho. Wiseman, Mannion, and Poole r the Warriors young pieces. What young dudes the Rockets have that r as good or better then those 3?
If Gasol magically gets bought out of an incredibly amazing minimum contract, I’ll be shocked, and also, that would be the fastest signing Pat Riley ever made in his life
You really have a thing for that fella, don’t ya? I hope you two kids end up together. He’s a good guy and you’re…available?
Gasol would be a good get for Miami or Boston if only because he lives rent-free in Embiid’s head. Anyway, I don’t think the Lakers buy him out: he is still a (way) above average defensive player even if he barely contributes on the other end.
The Heat need a big body. It sucks that we couldn’t get Aldridge or Drummond. Gasol would be a nice consolation prize.
If the Heat can get a decent big to help us with size, the Heat can make another postseason run in the East. Yes, even with Brooklyn.
Gasol would be better than both
He doesnt need to contribute offensively besides being a non ball stopping playmaker, and occasional catch and shoot guy. Defensively, he leads the league in defensive box plus/minus, so he is more than even just (way) above average defensively
The leader in defensive box plus/minus (among players who have played a significant amount of minutes) is Matisse Thybulle by a wide margin. Robert Williams and Nerlens Noel (who is the leader among qualified players) have also better DBPM than Gasol. But it’s true that he’s still an excellent defender, rather than “way above-average”.
If true, which would make sense for those guys, it’s a super recent thing b/c Gasol was still the leader in that category within the last week or so. That being said, he obviously is still an elite defender, regardless
If you dont understand why Marc Gasol is a great player, and extremely valuable, even at this point in his career, I dont know what to tell you
I doubt Gasol gets bought out. LA is not giving a big to another team for playoffs. He cost nothing to them.
The Rockets will be at the bottom of the pack for a long time. They might have escaped a losing season for 15 years but they didn’t win a championship so there really isn’t anything worth being proud of in that statistic
Fournier would have been a nice add but I like Redick and Melli for Dallas too. I think Redick could light it up next to Luka and I like what I saw from Melli in NO, altho not sure he’ll get much PT behind KP and Kleiber
There is a logjam at center because there are 4 of them, not because a blog editor thinks Lebron is a 4. Bas.Ref. says he played mostly 4 in ’13, ’14 and ’18. Mostly a 3, now a 1.