Bontemps’ Latest: Hawks, Bulls, Barnes, Pelicans, Fournier
The Hawks are determined to make the playoffs and are expected to be buyers heading into next week’s trade deadline, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Atlanta has won five straight games since firing head coach Lloyd Pierce and has moved up to eighth in a crowded Eastern playoff race. With Kris Dunn and De’Andre Hunter possibly back soon from injuries, the Hawks are hoping to add more talent to break their three-year postseason drought.
Trade rumors continue to circulate around forward John Collins, who is on track to become a restricted free agent this summer. Although Collins has been a full-time starter the past three seasons, Atlanta wasn’t able to work out an extension with him during the offseason and is reportedly wary of giving him a max contract.
Apart from Collins, there are concerns that the Hawks don’t have enough assets to make a significant move, with an Eastern Conference executive telling Bontemps, “I think they’d like to buy, but not sure there’s a lot to buy or what they buy it with. (Kevin) Huerter and picks, I guess, is the package, but what is that buying you?”
Bontemps offers a few more items related to the trade deadline:
- The Bulls‘ decision to take two recent lottery picks out of their starting lineup is considered a sign that they’re focused on the playoffs rather than the future. Veterans Tomas Satoransky and Thaddeus Young have replaced Coby White and Wendell Carter for a Chicago team that’s in ninth place at 17-20. The Bulls also face a decision on Lauri Markkanen, who is moving toward restricted free agency, where he might get an offer sheet that Chicago is unwilling to match. “I think they’d trade Markkanen if they get a good offer, but I don’t think they’re likely to trade him,” an East executive said. “I don’t think they do anything unless they get something they love.”
- The Kings will consider offers for Harrison Barnes, whom Bontemps sees as a good fit for the Celtics or Heat. However, Barnes’ team-friendly contract, which declines over the next two seasons, could be a factor in convincing Sacramento to keep him.
- The Pelicans would like to clear out their backcourt veterans to create more playing time for young guards Kira Lewis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. J.J. Redick and Eric Bledsoe will both be available, but they may be too expensive to bring much of a return. Redick, who underwent treatment for a sore heel last week, has a $13MM expiring contract and is being viewed as a buyout candidate, according to Bontemps. Bledsoe is under contract for another year at more than $18MM and didn’t perform well in the playoffs the past two seasons.
- Rival executives are split on what the Magic will do with Aaron Gordon, but many expect Evan Fournier to be traded. “I think they’ll rent Fournier to someone, but that’s it,” an East executive said. “Nobody has given me any indication they’re going to move (Nikola) Vucevic, or even have a discussion for him, unless they get a huge return.”
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 3/16/2021
Four trades have been completed since the NBA’s 2020/21 season began, but it’s a safe bet that number will double, triple, or even quadruple in the next nine days. With the March 25 trade deadline inching ever closer, we’re conducting our weekly live chat each Tuesday at noon central time (1:00pm ET) to discuss the latest news and rumors.
Click here to read today’s live chat transcript.
Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Jazz, Diallo, Wolves
After an up-and-down start to the season, the Nuggets have played some of their best basketball as of late, winning six of their last seven games and rising to the No. 5 seed in the West. With the trade deadline around the corner, the team will likely consider ways to upgrade its roster and cement its status as a contender, but JaMychal Green said on Monday night that he doesn’t believe a trade is necessary.
“We have everything we need,” the Nuggets forward said, per Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link).
Asked if he agreed with Green’s assessment, Nuggets guard Jamal Murray replied, “I’d be crazy if I didn’t. I believe every year we have everything we need. That’s just how I think, that’s just how we play, that’s just how we believe in each other” (Twitter link via Singer).
- The NBA announced on Monday that it has concluded its investigation into Elijah Millsap‘s allegations that Jazz executive Dennis Lindsey made a racially insensitive comment during a 2015 exit meeting and found no evidence to support the claim, writes ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The league interviewed Lindsey, GM Justin Zanik, and head coach Quin Snyder – all of whom were present at the meeting – as well as Millsap and agent Daniel Hazan. Lindsey, Zanik, and Snyder all denied the statement was made, while Hazan said Millsap hadn’t made him aware of it during his two season with the Jazz, per Wojnarowski.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who played college ball with Hamidou Diallo at Kentucky, admitted it was tough to see his Thunder teammate traded to Detroit, as Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman details. “It sucks. A guy that’s super close that I love playing around, love being around,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “But it is what it is. It’s the NBA. It’s a business. The front office, it’s not my job, it’s their job. They make decisions like that and they felt like it was best for the team and for Hami. My job’s to go play basketball.”
- Chris Hine of The Star Tribune considers how much stock to put into the trade rumors linking the Timberwolves to John Collins.
Wizards Rumors: Brown, Drummond, Mathews, Bell, More
While Bradley Beal remains extremely unlikely to be traded within the next nine days, that doesn’t mean the Wizards will stand pat at this month’s trade deadline. According to Fred Katz and David Aldridge of The Athletic, league sources have suggested that Washington appears open to moving young players like Troy Brown, Moritz Wagner, Jerome Robinson, and Isaac Bonga.
All of those players are between 21 and 24 years old and are on relatively inexpensive contracts, but they’ve been in and out of the rotation this season and aren’t particularly valuable trade assets. Of the four, Brown probably has the most appeal. One executive told Katz and Aldridge that the Wizrads could probably get a “second-round-equivalent asset” for the former 15th overall pick.
“My guess is an early second(-rounder) and/or a decent young player,” another executive said. “I’m sure they’d like more, but not sure those guys have much more value than that at this point.”
Here’s more on the Wizards from Katz and Aldridge:
- Although a quad injury will keep Ish Smith on the shelf through the trade deadline, one opposing GM thinks the point guard could have a little trade value to any team “looking to add veteran pace to its second unit.”
- The Wizards are keeping an eye on Cavaliers center Andre Drummond as a possible buyout target, sources tell The Athletic. Drummond would probably prefer a contending team in that scenario, but Washington could pique his interest by using its $4.2MM disabled player exception to offer more than the veteran’s minimum.
- Since players on two-way contracts can now appear in all 72 games and are eligible to play in the postseason, there’s less urgency to convert Garrison Mathews to a standard contract. Still, he’s a candidate to be promoted to the 15-man roster, especially if the Wizards can lock him up to a multiyear deal. In that scenario, Jordan Bell would be a leading contender to fill Mathews’ vacated two-way slot, per Katz and Aldridge.
- According to The Athletic’s duo, one obstacle that could complicate the Wizards’ pursuit of Drummond or negotiations with Mathews is the club’s desire to stay below the luxury tax threshold — team salary is currently within $1MM of that line, though certain trades could create more breathing room.
Central Rumors: Turner, Pistons, Plumlee, Diallo, Bulls
The Knicks, Lakers, Clippers, Hornets, and Pelicans are among the teams to explore whether the Pacers are willing to trade big man Myles Turner, league sources tell J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star.
The Pacers were willing to discuss Turner in trade talks during the 2020 offseason and have lost 17 of their last 26 games after an 8-4 start this season, so it’s no surprise that teams are inquiring on the NBA’s leading shot-blocker.
However, Michael says that if Indiana does look to make a move at the trade deadline, it’s unlikely to involve Turner, who has developed into a crucial part of the team’s success. The Pacers have been better both offensively and defensively when he’s on the court.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- Within his look at some hypothetical trades for the Pistons, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reports that the team is seriously discussing trades involving Delon Wright, Wayne Ellington, and Mason Plumlee, adding that there have been some “whispers” about the Nets potentially being interested in Plumlee.
- Hamidou Diallo‘s Pistons debut will be delayed a little longer due to his groin strain, head coach Dwane Casey said on Monday (Twitter link via Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press). Diallo missed his last several games with Oklahoma City as a result of the injury, which he suffered on February 24.
- The Bulls‘ new-look rotation got off to a good start on Sunday, as the team comfortably defeated Toronto with Tomas Satoransky and Thaddeus Young replacing Coby White and Wendell Carter in the starting lineup. Head coach Billy Donovan cautioned after the game that the new starting five isn’t “set in stone” (Twitter link via Eric Woodyard of ESPN). However, the affected players sounded fully on board with the changes, with Carter stating that he would’ve benched himself too, as K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes.
- Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic explores what the lineup changes might say about the Bulls‘ approach to the trade deadline, suggesting that the team seems unlikely to be a seller.
Cuban: Mavs Only Interested In Acquiring Another Star
The Mavericks don’t plan on making any trades before next Thursday’s deadline unless they can acquire a star player, owner Mark Cuban said recently on the Mavs Step Back Podcast (video link).
“Unless it’s a game-changing star, I don’t see us doing anything at all,” he said. “So, if someone decides they’re blowing it up, OK, we’ll talk to anybody about any great player. If it’s just ‘We’ll trade this guy for that guy’ and it’s not really going to move the needle, I’d rather go with continuity.”
Cuban added that the only other circumstances in which the Mavs would look to make a trade are if another team “makes a mistake” or offers a “great player” in a salary-dump deal.
The most significant trade the Mavs made during the offseason was sending Seth Curry to the 76ers for Josh Richardson and the rights to Tyler Bey. They also dealt Justin Jackson, a 2023-second rounder and a 2026 second-rounder to the Thunder and Delon Wright to the Pistons for James Johnson. In terms of free agency, they re-signed Willie Cauley-Stein and Trey Burke.
Cuban said those moves – which allowed the team to retain 2021 cap space – had nothing to do with hoping that Giannis Antetokounmpo or other stars would chose free agency this offseason.
“The changes we made, the trades we made weren’t about setting us up for the coming summer,” Cuban said. “Not at all. We wanted defense, we wanted toughness and that’s what we went out and got.”
Kings’ Bagley Suffers Fractured Left Hand
Kings big man Marvin Bagley III suffered a fracture of the fourth metacarpal in his left hand on Monday, James Ham of the NBC Sports California tweets.
Bagley’s injury occurred during the first half of Sacramento’s game at Charlotte. An X-ray taken at the Spectrum Center revealed the fracture, according to a team press release. He’ll undergo a further medical evaluation in the coming days and an update regarding the course of treatment will be provided by the team.
Bagley, the second pick of the 2018 draft, was averaging 13.9 PPG and 7.6 RPG entering the contest while starting 36 contests.
He’s been snakebit by injuries over the last two seasons. Bagley missed the restart last summer due to a right foot injury and was also sidelined earlier last season by left foot and thumb ailments, as he appeared in just 13 games. He missed training camp workouts this season due to a bout with COVID-19.
Bagley’s father caused some controversy in early January when he tweeted that the team should trade his son, a tweet the younger Bagley declined to discuss.
There has been some speculation that the Kings’ new front office might try to move on from Bagley but potential suitors are discouraged by his contract and an approximate $15MM qualifying offer in 2022.
Southeast Notes: Heat, Graham, Wizards, Smith
While the Heat are still willing to make an upgrade, their recent surge allows them to be more selective as the trade deadline approaches, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. Their $7.5MM trade exception will expire next Monday and the most likely candidates for that slot are Kings power forward Nemanja Bjelica ($7.2MM) and Thunder big man Mike Muscala ($2.3MM). Miami is unlikely to give away a key young piece to acquire Rockets guard Victor Oladipo, Jackson adds.
We have more on the Southeast Division:
- Hornets guard Devonte’ Graham will enter restricted free agency this summer (provided the team extends a qualifying offer) and some teams believe he’s available because the franchise will be hesitant to pay up for his second contract, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Graham’s perceived availability is tied to the fact that starter Terry Rozier is having a strong season and is signed through next season, while LaMelo Ball is the likely Rookie of the Year.
- The Wizards probably won’t make any major moves before the trade deadline but they’ll be mindful of improving their defense if they complete any transaction, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington reports. They are reluctant to add a shooter who is a subpar defender. They also have limited expendable resources and are close to the luxury tax line.
- There’s no update yet on Ish Smith‘s injured right quad, Hughes tweets. Wizards coach Scott Brooks hopes to know more in the next 10-14 days. The veteran backup point guard, who has an expiring $6MM contract, was expected to miss six to eight weeks — it has been almost four so far.
CJ McCollum Cleared To Play Tuesday
Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum has been cleared to return to action for Tuesday’s game against the Pelicans, Jason Quick of The Athletic tweets.
McCollum suffered a hairline fracture in his left foot on January 16 against the Hawks. McCollum, whose injury was initially diagnosed as a sprain, has missed 25 games with Portland going 14-11 during that span.
The high-scoring guard was off to a hot start prior to the injury, averaging 26.7 PPG and 5.0 APG in 13 games while shooting 44.1% from deep. Damian Lillard‘s backcourt partner averaged 22.2 PPG and 4.4 APG last season.
McCollum signed a three-year, $100MM extension in 2019 that goes through the 2023/24 season.
The Blazers entered the week tied for fifth place in the Western Conference. The return of one of Portland’s key players could increase the chances of the team being a buyer prior to the March 25 trade deadline.
Southwest Notes: Hayes, Vaccine, Gay, Mavericks, Wood
Pelicans big man Jaxson Hayes has regained his rotation spot and he’s determined to hold onto it, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune writes. In his past five games, Hayes is averaging 11.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 1.4 BPG in 17.5 MPG. The 2019 lottery pick, who had his third-year rookie-scale option picked up by New Orleans in December, has displaced Willy Hernangomez as the second-unit backup center.
“The main thing I took away was I never want to be in that position again,” Hayes said of his February benching. “It’s not like it was a bad thing. I just always want to be on the court.”
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Eligible members of the Pelicans organization received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN. A majority of the players who were eligible received the shot did so, including Sindarius Thornwell, Lopez tweets. Italian Nicolo Melli also received the vaccine, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets.
- The Spurs had four games prior to the All-Star break postponed due to coronavirus issues. Two of the affected players, Rudy Gay and Derrick White, expressed their gratitude to the team’s training and medical staffs for the high quality of care to Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “They’re just great people, the most helpful people I’ve been around, and they care about us,” Gay said.
- While the Mavericks plan to give stars Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis periodic nights off, don’t expect coach Rick Carlisle to give the team’s four rookies extended playing time, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News writes.
- Rockets big man Christian Wood is hopeful of returning to action on Tuesday, Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets. Wood has been sidelined since February 4 due to an ankle injury. He’s listed by the team as doubtful.