Magic Rumors: Gordon, Vucevic, Ross, Fournier
As we relayed earlier today, Portland and Minnesota are among the teams interested in Aaron Gordon, but the Magic forward is receiving interest from several other clubs as well.
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Rockets, Mavericks, Nuggets, and Warriors are all eyeing Gordon. Some lead members of the Pelicans‘ front office are high on Gordon too, per Fischer. And the Pistons have also inquired about him, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Haynes suggests that Gordon would be “open to a change of scenery.”
Gordon has been the subject of trade rumors for quite some time and the Magic’s current front office hasn’t made many major deals in recent years, so some people around the league are skeptical that Orlando will do anything big at next week’s deadline, per Fischer.
“You talk to them and it’s just like, ‘Well, you know, we’re open to this…’ It’s just like talking in circles,” an assistant general manager told Fischer. Another league source added: “They don’t pick up the phone and call.”
However, according to Fischer, the Magic have already seriously explored moving Gordon and are seeking a return of young players and draft picks. Prior to Gordon’s ankle sprain, the Magic and Timberwolves were making progress on a potential deal that would have sent the 25-year-old to Minnesota for a package that included Ricky Rubio and draft capital, sources told Bleacher Report.
Brooklyn also made an offer for Gordon in mid-January before acquiring James Harden, according to Fischer, though the Nets may not have been targeting the Magic forward for themselves. Fischer reports that Houston is especially interested in Gordon and asked teams during the Harden discussions to engage Orlando about the veteran forward. The Rockets may be taking a similar approach in their Victor Oladipo trade talks, Fischer adds.
Here’ more on the Magic:
- In addition to Gordon, the Magic are believed to be listening to inquiries on Terrence Ross, Evan Fournier, and Nikola Vucevic, though Vucevic is considered far less likely than the others to be moved. Sources tell Fischer that for Orlando to consider a Vucevic offer, it would need to include at least a starter-caliber player and multiple first-round picks. “It would have to be to a point where (a team) offers what someone hasn’t yet been willing to offer,” one Western Conference executive said.
- The Celtics are said to have interest in Vucevic, but their overtures haven’t piqued Orlando’s interest, according to Fischer, who says Boston may be focused on Spurs big man LaMarcus Aldridge for the time being.
- Some executives believe the Magic could get a late first-round pick for Ross or Fournier, but most believe that a package of multiple second-rounders is more realistic, writes Fischer. “If you know you can get better, I would give up all my seconds (for Fournier). Who cares?” one assistant GM said. “I think he’s a good sixth man, maybe a fifth starter. One night he might give you 20, the next night he’s giving you eight. But he definitely can put that thing in the basket, and you gotta guard him.”
- Here’s what one Eastern Conference exec had to say about the Magic and their trade candidates, per Fischer: “They should sell. They own their first-round pick. If you can get that pick into the top five, and you’re adding back Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz next season, all of a sudden things could look very different.”
Haynes’ Latest: Davis, Nurkic, Thompson, Raptors, McGee
The Lakers announced on Friday that Anthony Davis would miss at least the next two weeks as he continues to recover from his right calf strain and tendinosis. However, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Davis is unlikely to return immediately after the end of that two-week timeline.
Sources tell Haynes that the Lakers’ star forward/center is expected to be out for the next three weeks, and potentially longer than that. Even if Los Angeles slips a little more in the standings without Davis in its lineup, the team wants to be cautious in its handling of one of its two superstars, Haynes writes.
Including the game in which Davis went down, the Lakers have lost seven of their last 11, but they’re still comfortably holding a playoff spot in the West — they’re the No. 3 seed, at 25-13.
Here’s more from Haynes:
- Injured Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic (wrist) plans on making his return in about two weeks, sources tell Yahoo Sports. CJ McCollum (foot) said over the weekend that he’s aiming to return this week, so Portland could get two key starters back in its lineup before the end of the month.
- According to Haynes, Celtics center Tristan Thompson is a candidate to be moved prior to next Thursday’s trade deadline, with the Raptors among his possible landing spots. The Toronto native has long been linked to his hometown team, and while nothing has ever come of those rumors, a union would make more sense now that the Raptors are in the market for an upgrade at center.
- Cavaliers center JaVale McGee – who has drawn interest from contenders, including the Nets – isn’t entertaining a buyout, so if he changes teams, it will be via trade, says Haynes. While Brooklyn may prefer his teammate Andre Drummond, McGee’s modest $4.2MM salary will make him easier to move in a deal.
- We passed along a few more items from Haynes earlier today, including notes on DeMar DeRozan, John Wall, and Hassan Whiteside.
Kings Rumors: Barnes, Bjelica, Hield, Whiteside, Haliburton
Harrison Barnes‘ professionalism, his declining contract structure, and his strong play this season are all factors that make him an appealing trade candidate, but they’re also reasons why the Kings will be reluctant to part with him, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic.
A source with knowledge of Sacramento’s plans tells Amick that the club won’t be motivated to move Barnes without a “significant” offer. The Celtics have been frequently linked to the veteran forward, but Amick isn’t sure that a package made up of late first-round picks and young bench players would be enough to get it done.
The Kings also haven’t yet conceded that they will be sellers, Amick continues. If they do go that route, De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton would likely be the only truly unavailable players on the roster, but the Kings are still just 3.5 games back of a play-in spot, reducing the likelihood of a fire sale.
Here’s more out of Sacramento:
- Amick believes Nemanja Bjelica is perhaps the likeliest King to be traded, and hears from sources that the Pacers are among the teams to show interest in the stretch four. Amick also mentions Golden State, Boston, and Milwaukee, who have all been previously cited as potential suitors for Bjelica.
- According to Amick, the size of Buddy Hield‘s contract probably makes him even more likely to stay put than Barnes, for now at least. Amick also wonders any teams will make a “spirited push” for center Richaun Holmes, especially if the Kings are unsure about whether they’ll be able to re-sign him this summer.
- The Lakers continue to monitor Kings center Hassan Whiteside, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Whiteside has been previously identified as a possible Lakers target via trade or buyout.
- Kings coach Luke Walton said over the weekend that rookie guard Tyrese Haliburton will remain on a minutes limit for the next few games, as James Ham of NBC Sports California tweets. Coming off a calf injury, Haliburton logged 18 minutes on Thursday and 24 on Saturday — he had been averaging over 30 minutes per game prior to the injury.
Southwest Rumors: Aldridge, DeRozan, Tucker, Wall, Bledsoe
While a number of teams around the NBA may be hoping LaMarcus Aldridge reaches the buyout market, all indications for now are that the Spurs will be able to make a trade, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. Sources tell Amick that general managers inquiring on Aldridge have been told that five teams are “firmly in the mix.”
As Aldridge and the Spurs prepare to part ways, the team’s other former All-Star, DeMar DeRozan, remains a focal point of the team’s offensive attack, having averaged 20.3 points and 7.3 assists per game this season. San Antonio isn’t actively seeking a DeRozan trade, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. However, Haynes says that could change if the two sides don’t agree to an in-season extension before the trade deadline. Currently, no extension negotiations are active, Haynes adds.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- A source with knowledge of the Rockets‘ talks tells Sam Amick of The Athletic that about 70% of the league has inquired on P.J. Tucker. The Nuggets, who are seeking a forward capable of guarding multiple positions, are no longer believed to be in the mix for Tucker, since the asking price is so high — Amick says Houston has sought a young impact player and a first-round pick. The club would be doing well to acquire one or the other for the 35-year-old.
- Rockets guard John Wall, who recently suffered a left knee contusion, is expected to have that knee scoped later this year, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Wall should be able to return soon from the contusion, but will have to undergo the scope eventually, says Haynes, noting that the veteran has previously undergone surgery on that knee.
- According to Amick, Pelicans guard Eric Bledsoe is thought to be “very available,” but interest has been minimal so far. Bledsoe’s contract, which pays him $16.9MM this season and $18.1MM next year, will be an obstacle.
Latest On Andre Drummond
With the March 25 trade deadline just 10 days away, we’ll soon find out whether the Cavaliers are right to believe they can find a worthwhile trade for Andre Drummond. Sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic that Cleveland continues to seek a modest asset, such as a second-round pick, for Drummond, while rival teams are skeptical that such an offer will be available.
For the time being, the Cavaliers remain opposed to the idea of buying out Drummond, but if that ultimately becomes their most viable option, the Lakers and Nets would be the center’s top suitors once he clears waivers, writes Charania.
One other scenario to watch would involve the Knicks. According to Charania, New York has explored the possibility of pursuing Drummond and has mulled offering him a multiyear deal if agrees to a buyout with Cleveland. The Knicks still have about $15MM in cap room this season, meaning the club could offer more years and more money than rival suitors for Drummond on the buyout market.
If Drummond is bought out and signs with a team like the Lakers or Nets, he’d enter free agency this offseason coming off a minimum-salary contract (or something close to it) and would only have Non-Bird rights, limiting his options on the open market. As such, he could be intrigued by the idea of getting a jump-start on free agency by signing an in-season multiyear deal with the Knicks.
Charania’s report is light on additional details, so it remains to be seen just how strong an offer the Knicks would be willing to make in that scenario — they’d probably have to go into the mid-level range or higher for Drummond to seriously consider it. It’s also unclear whether New York is focused only on buyout scenarios or if the club will make an effort to trade for the Cavs big man.
Checking In On NBA’s 10-Day Contracts
As our 10-day contract tracker shows, there are currently five players around the NBA who have active 10-day deals. Those players are as follows:
- Henry Ellenson, Raptors (runs through March 19)
- Sindarius Thornwell, Pelicans (runs through March 19)
- Damian Jones, Lakers (runs through March 20)
- Mason Jones, Rockets (runs through March 21)
- Quinn Cook, Cavaliers (runs through March 21)
Thornwell and Damian Jones are on their second 10-day contracts with their respective teams. Players can’t sign three 10-day deals with the same club, so Thornwell and Jones will either have to be re-signed to rest-of-season deals or will become free agents.
Since their contracts expire just a few days before the March 25 trade deadline, Thornwell and Jones likely won’t be re-signed immediately, as the Pelicans and Lakers look to maximize their roster flexibility for potential trades.
Ellenson, Mason Jones, and Cook are each eligible to sign one more 10-day contract with their respective teams after their current deals expire, but again, if teams prioritize roster flexibility around the trade deadline, those players may have to wait until after March 25 to get a second offer — Jones is the one exception here, since the Rockets are very shorthanded due to injuries and may not want to lose him for even a few days.
While there are just five players on active 10-day pacts for now, the Nets are a team to keep an eye on this week. They’ve had fewer than 14 players on standard contracts since March 8, when Andre Roberson‘s and Iman Shumpert‘s 10-day deals expired. Teams are only permitted to dip below that minimum roster requirement for two weeks at a time, so Brooklyn will have to add a 14th man within the next week — a 10-day signing is the most likely solution to address that issue, though the team could also make a trade or target a player for a rest-of-season contract.
The Pelicans and Lakers will also each only have 13 players under contract once their current 10-day players are no longer on the roster, so if they don’t re-sign those players right away and don’t add at least one player in a trade-deadline deal, they’ll each have to fill at least one roster spot shortly after the trade deadline, via a 10-day or rest-of-season signing.
Several other teams around the league also have an open 15th roster spot and could be candidates to sign players to 10-day contracts soon, as our roster counts page shows.
Trade Rumors: Hill, Ariza, Tucker, Hawks, Collins, Celtics, More
Multiple playoff contenders have interest in Thunder veterans George Hill and Trevor Ariza, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. According to Charania, the Clippers are among the teams eyeing Hill.
Neither Hill nor Ariza is active right now for the Thunder. Hill hasn’t played since January 24 due to a right thumb injury, while Ariza has been away from the team all season, having been acquired in an offseason trade as a salary throw-in. Hill shouldn’t be out too much longer though, and there’s no indication that Ariza isn’t healthy.
The Thunder have been focusing on developing their young players, so Hill and Ariza are expendable. However, Charania notes that the team would be fine with retaining Hill, who is under contract for 2021/22 at a reasonable price ($10MM).
Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from Charania:
- The Rockets continue to discuss possible P.J. Tucker trades with teams like the Bucks, Heat, and Lakers, but the Nets are no longer believed to be actively involved, writes Charania. A Brooklyn deal for Tucker likely would’ve involved injured guard Spencer Dinwiddie.
- The Hawks have made trade inquiries in recent weeks about wing players, per Charania. The team is currently missing two of its top young forwards, De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish, due to injuries.
- Hawks big man John Collins is among the potential trade targets being eyed by the Celtics, but Atlanta’s asking price is high, according to Charania, who says the team is seeking a high first-round pick and/or a talented young player. Collins is eligible for restricted free agency this summer.
- The Pistons are after a second-round pick in exchange for veteran shooting guard Wayne Ellington, says Charania. Ellington is having a nice year in Detroit, with 10.6 PPG and a .422 3PT%.
- Heat guard Avery Bradley and Grizzlies forward Gorgui Dieng are receiving interest from several teams, sources tell The Athletic.
Injury/Protocol Notes: Reddish, Durant, Thompson, Raptors
Hawks forward Cam Reddish reportedly received a PRP injection earlier this month and was ruled out for at least two weeks at that time, per general manager Travis Schlenk. However, it sounds like Reddish’s absence will extend well beyond that window.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Reddish has an initial recovery timeline of four-to-six weeks following the non-surgical procedure to address his right Achilles soreness. Even if we assume one of those weeks has already passed, it still sounds like we won’t see Reddish back on the court until sometime in April.
Here are a few more updates from around the NBA on players who are injured or in the league’s health and safety protocols:
- Nets star Kevin Durant is expected to miss another week or two as the team takes a cautious approach to his left hamstring strain, sources tell Charania. Durant has now been on the shelf for over a month, but it hasn’t slowed down Brooklyn at all — the team has won 10 of its last 11 games.
- As we relayed on Sunday, Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson is aiming to return early next season from his Achilles tear. However, he admitted that he’s not expecting to look like his old self right away. “I’ll be honest, I don’t expect to come back balls-to-the-wall, 38 minutes a night, guarding the best player, running around 100 screens,” Thompson said (video link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). “I’m going to get to that point. I guarantee that. But… it might be 20 minutes to start the season… We’ll see where I’m at. This is usually a 12-month process with the Achilles and that’ll take me to mid-November.”
- Raptors head coach Nick Nurse expects his five players in the health and safety protocols – Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Patrick McCaw, and Malachi Flynn – to all return at some point this week, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto Star, who says some of those players are out of quarantine and doing work in the team’s gym.
Blazers Among Teams Interested In Aaron Gordon
The Trail Blazers are among the teams showing interest in Aaron Gordon, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who says the Magic have been open to listening to calls about the veteran forward. The Timberwolves have also been linked to Gordon multiple times since the 2020 offseason, and Charania indicates that Minnesota remains interested.
Gordon is dealing with an ankle sprain that has limited him to just one game since the start of February. He returned to action on Thursday, but logged just 14 minutes and has sat out the last two games due to “injury management.” If he’s healthy, the 25-year-old would be an intriguing fit on a Blazers squad that features star guards Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, as well as center Jusuf Nurkic.
Presumably, a Blazers offer would start with Rodney Hood‘s expiring $10MM+ contract for salary-matching purposes (Hood’s salary for 2021/22 is non-guaranteed). Portland would need about an additional $3MM in outgoing salary to sufficiently match Gordon’s $18MM+ cap hit, but would probably like to send out even more than that to avoid going into tax territory. That would make Enes Kanter ($5MM) a possible trade candidate, though he has had a nice season.
The Magic, meanwhile, would likely target young players like Gary Trent Jr., Nassir Little, Anfernee Simons, and CJ Elleby — some of those prospects would be more available than others, from Portland’s perspective. The Blazers would also be able to offer any first-rounders starting with their 2023 selection, since they’ve traded away their 2021 pick.
If Portland looks to upgrade its frontcourt without giving up multiple assets, LaMarcus Aldridge would be an option. According to Charania, the Blazers, Heat, and Celtics are considered the top contenders for Aldridge if he receives a buyout, though the Spurs remain focused on finding a trade.
Bucks Sign Axel Toupane To Two-Way Contract
MARCH 15: The Bucks officially signed Toupane to his two-way deal on Sunday, per a team press release.
MARCH 13: The Bucks will sign swingman Axel Toupane to a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The 28-year-old played for Santa Cruz during the just-completed G League season, averaging 17.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists in nine games. He was in training camp with the Warriors before being waived in December.
Toupane has previous NBA experience, playing 21 games for the Nuggets during the 2015/16 season, and two games each for the Bucks and Pelicans in 2016/17. He had been playing overseas before joining the G League this year.
Milwaukee has a two-way slot open after waiving Jaylen Adams last week. A report prior to the All-Star break suggested that Myles Powell would fill that slot, but that deal was never made official.