2021 March | Hoops Rumors

Celtics’ Marcus Smart Cleared To Return

By Luke Adams | at March 10, 2021 1:48 pm

Celtics guard Marcus Smart, who has been sidelined since January 30 due to a calf injury, has been cleared to return for Boston’s second-half opener on Thursday in Brooklyn, he said today (Twitter link via Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe).

As long as Smart avoids any setbacks before tomorrow night, he’ll be active vs. the Nets, though the plan is for him to be on a minutes restriction, as Tim Bontemps of ESPN tweets.

Prior to his injury, Smart was averaging career highs in points (13.1) and assists (6.1) per game to go along with his usual stout perimeter defense. He started all 17 games he played, though the Celtics were missing Kemba Walker or Jayson Tatum for many of those contests — we’ll have to wait to see if Smart is reinserted into Boston’s starting five.

The 19-17 Celtics had an up-and-down first half, dipping to two games below .500 before winning their last four games leading into the All-Star break. Now that they’re nearly fully healthy for the first time this season, they’ll be looking to make a second-half push and secure a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference.

According to head coach Brad Stevens, Romeo Langford is the only Celtic who is currently unavailable. It sounds as if Langford is ready to return from his wrist injury, but has been placed in the health and safety protocols, as Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston tweets.

5 comments Boston Celtics Brooklyn Nets Marcus Smart Romeo Langford

Hoops Rumors Glossary: Traded Player Exception

By Luke Adams | at March 10, 2021 12:42 pm

Relying on the trade machines at ESPN.com or TradeNBA.com may be the simplest way for NBA fans to verify whether or not a trade will work under league rules, but it’s worth examining the primary tool in the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement that determines a trade’s viability — the traded player exception.

Teams with the cap room necessary to make a trade work don’t need to abide by traded player exception rules. However, if a team makes a deal that will leave its total salary more than $100K above the salary cap, the club can use a traded player exception to ensure the trade is legal under CBA guidelines.

There are two different types of traded player exceptions used in NBA deals. One applies to simultaneous trades, while the other applies to non-simultaneous deals.

In a simultaneous trade, a team can send out one or more players and can acquire more salary than it gives up. In a non-simultaneous trade, only a single player can be dealt, and the team has a year to take back the equivalent of that player’s salary, plus $100K.

Let’s look into each scenario in greater detail….

Simultaneous:

In a simultaneous trade, different rules applies to taxpaying and non-taxpaying clubs. A non-taxpaying team can trade one or more players and take back….

175% of the outgoing salary (plus $100K), for any amount up to $6,533,333.
The outgoing salary plus $5MM, for any amount between $6,533,333 and $19,600,000.
125% of the outgoing salary (plus $100K), for any amount above $19,600,000.

Here’s a recent example of these rules in effect:

Last November, the Timberwolves sent Jacob Evans, Omari Spellman, and a second-round pick to the Knicks in exchange for Ed Davis.

Evans and Spellman were earning a combined $4,005,600 in 2020/21, which meant Minnesota was eligible to take back up to $7,109,800 by aggregating their salaries — that figure works out to 175% of their combined salaries, plus $100K, as noted in the first rule listed above. Since Davis is earning $5,005,350, he comfortably fit within that limit.

If Evans’ and Spellman’s salaries had totaled more than $6,533,333, they would’ve been subject to the second rule above. If they’d combined to earn at least $19,600,000, the third rule would’ve applied.

For taxpaying teams, the traded player exception rules for a simultaneous trade are simpler, albeit more restrictive. A taxpaying club can send out one or more players and take back 125% of the outgoing salary, plus $100K, no matter how much – or how little – outgoing salary is involved. If the Warriors were to trade Kelly Oubre‘s $14,375,000 expiring contract, for instance, they could take back up to $18,068,750.

In simultaneous transactions, the traded player exception is used to instantly complete the deal, leaving no lingering loose ends. This form of the traded player exception generally isn’t what we’re talking about if we say a team “has a trade exception” available to use. Those outstanding trade exceptions come as a result of non-simultaneous deals.

Non-simultaneous:

In non-simultaneous deals, a team can trade away a single player without immediately taking salary back in return. The team then has up to one year in which it can acquire one or more players whose combined salaries amount to no more than the traded player’s salary (plus $100K).

For instance, before the Knicks sent Ed Davis to Minnesota, they acquired him from the Jazz – along with a pair of second-round picks – in exchange for just cash. From Utah’s perspective, that was a non-simultaneous trade, allowing them to create a traded player exception worth Davis’ salary ($5,005,350).

The Jazz will have a year to use that exception to acquire one or more players whose salaries total up to $5,105,350 (Davis’ salary, plus $100K). If they don’t use the full trade exception within a year, it will expire.

Putting the two together:

When evaluating an NBA trade, it’s worth remembering that the two teams can view the deal entirely differently and that they’re allowed to divide a single trade into multiple parts to maximize their flexibility. For example, one team could consider a trade simultaneous, while the other team breaks the transaction down into two separate trades, one simultaneous and one non-simultaneous.

Let’s take a look at a recent real-life example, examining the complex four-team trade involving the Rockets, Nets, Cavaliers, and Pacers that sent James Harden to Brooklyn.

From the Nets’ perspective, the trade broke down as follows:

Traded Caris LeVert ($16,203,704), Taurean Prince ($12,584,375), Jarrett Allen ($3,909,902), and Rodions Kurucs ($1,780,152) for Harden ($41,254,920).
- This trade is a simultaneous one for the Nets, who had to pool together a ton of salary to match Harden’s huge cap figure. As a taxpaying team, Brooklyn had to send out a minimum of $32,923,936 in salary in order to meet the 125% + $100K rule. LeVert, Prince, and Allen wouldn’t quite get their on their own (they make a combined $32,697,981), which is why a fourth player (Kurucs) had to be included.

Here’s how it looked from the Rockets’ perspective:

Traded Harden ($41,254,920) for Victor Oladipo ($21,000,000) and Dante Exum ($9,600,000).
- This segment of the trade, from the Rockets’ perspective, is non-simultaneous. Since they had to accommodate Oladipo’s and Exum’s incoming salaries using Harden’s outgoing salary, they weren’t able to create a truly massive traded player exception, but they did generate one worth the difference between Harden’s salary and the combined Oladipo/Exum figure — it worked out to $10,654,920.
Acquired Kurucs ($1,780,152) via a traded player exception.
- The Rockets possessed a handful of modest trade exceptions from deals they made at the 2020 trade deadline. One of those exceptions, created when Houston traded Nene to Atlanta, was worth about $2.56MM, which the team used to absorb Kurucs’ salary. If the Rockets hadn’t had an exception on hand, Kurucs’ salary would’ve been added to Oladipo’s and Exum’s above, slightly reducing the value of the team’s newly-created TPE for Harden.

Here’s how the Cavaliers completed the trade:

Traded Exum ($9,600,000) for Prince ($12,584,375).
- In a simultaneous trade, the Cavaliers used Exum’s outgoing salary to match Prince’s. Cleveland could have taken back up to $14,600,000 (Exum’s salary + $5MM).
Acquired Allen ($3,909,902) via a traded player exception.
- Prince and Allen earn a total of $16,494,277, exceeding the amount the Cavs could’ve acquired for Exum alone. Fortunately, Cleveland had a traded player exception available that was perfectly sized for Allen. That exception, worth $3,837,500, was created in last season’s Jordan Clarkson trade and was due to expire in February. Because a team gets $100K in wiggle room when using a non-simultaneous TPE, Allen’s salary was able to narrowly fit.

And here’s the Pacers’ perspective:

Traded Oladipo ($21,000,000) for LeVert ($16,203,704).
- This is the simplest swap of the bunch, and is a non-simultaneous trade. Because LeVert is earning less than Oladipo, the Pacers have a year to make up the difference (plus $100K), having generated a $4,796,296 traded player exception.

More notes on traded player exceptions:

For contracts signed under the NBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, a team’s outgoing salary for matching purposes is the guaranteed salary rather than the total salary. For example, a player with a $2MM partial guarantee on a $10MM salary would only count for $2MM for salary-matching purposes. Between the end of a team’s season and June 30, the outgoing salary for a traded player is the lesser of his full current-season salary and his guaranteed salary for the next season. We have more details on this rule in a separate glossary entry.
When determining whether a team is over the cap or the luxury tax line for traded player exception purposes, the team’s total salary after the trade is the deciding factor.
Trade exceptions created in non-simultaneous trades can’t be combined with one another, with other exceptions, or with a player’s salary; they can’t be used to sign a free agent (except in a sign-and-trade); and they can’t be traded outright to another team.
A trade exception generated in a sign-and-trade can sometimes be subject to base year compensation rules. In that case, the player’s outgoing salary for trade purposes is either his previous salary or 50% of his new salary, whichever is greater. That’s why the Nuggets only created a $9,525,000 in their Jerami Grant sign-and-trade, despite the fact that his first-year salary with the Pistons is $19,050,000.
Teams that are under the cap before a trade and go over the cap as a result of the trade can’t create a trade exception as a result of that deal.
For salary-matching purposes, future draft picks or the draft rights to an unsigned player aren’t taken into consideration.

The traded player exception is one of the CBA’s more complicated tools and can make it challenging for over-the-cap teams to navigate the trade market. It’s undoubtedly simpler to use an online trade machine to determine whether a deal is legal, but examining the rules and figuring out exactly how a blockbuster trade breaks down can provide rewarding insight into an NBA club’s management of its cap.

Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ was used in the creation of this post.

Earlier versions of this post were published in 2012, 2018, and 2020.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

4 comments Hoops Rumors Glossary Hoops Rumors Originals

Amick’s Latest: Celtics, Barnes, Clippers, Lowry, Bagley

By Luke Adams | at March 10, 2021 11:11 am

Many front office people around the NBA believe the Celtics might trade for Kings forward Harrison Barnes prior to this month’s deadline, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Boston’s interest in Barnes has been reported multiple times this season, including on Tuesday by Chris Mannix of SI.com.

As Amick explains, Barnes is probably a more realistic target for the Celtics than players like Jerami Grant and Nikola Vucevic, whose teams would likely seek a more substantial return. Sources tell The Athletic that the Kings appear to be shifting into seller mode, so they could be intrigued by Boston’s first-round picks and young prospects, who would match Sacramento’s timeline.

Here’s more from Amick:

Sources tell The Athletic that the Celtics‘ interest in James Harden – and their involvement in the Harden sweepstakes – was more serious than Danny Ainge‘s comments at the time would suggest. Amick has previously reported that Boston was still in the mix during the later stages of negotiations.
The Clippers feel good about their core and if they make any trades, they’ll likely just address the margins of their roster, according to Amick, who hears from sources that Lou Williams no longer appears available, as he was in the offseason.
People around the NBA believe Kyle Lowry‘s $30.5MM cap hit will be an obstacle that may prevent the Raptors guard from being dealt, says Amick. The Clippers are among the teams with interest in Lowry, but may not be able to make the money work, according to Amick, who points to the Thunder‘s George Hill as a more affordable and attainable alternative for teams in need of a veteran point guard.
Finances will also be a factor for teams considering making a play for Kings forward Marvin Bagley III, per Amick. Bagley will make $11.3MM in 2021/22 and his qualifying offer in ’22 would be worth nearly $15MM.

Knicks Notes: Front Office, Thibodeau, Quickley, More

By Luke Adams | at March 10, 2021 9:38 am

In an entertaining, in-depth story for The New York Post, Yaron Weitzman takes a deep dive into the inner workings of the Knicks‘ front office, exploring how president of basketball operations Leon Rose has skillfully managed a handful of competing viewpoints and voices in the basketball operations department.

As Weitzman details, Rose has had to consider input from head coach Tom Thibodeau, who has little patience for a rebuild and wondered if RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson could be traded for “seasoned veterans”; from executive VP William Wesley – aka “World Wide Wes’ – who frequently zeroed in on players who attended the University of Kentucky or signed with CAA; and from cap expert Brock Aller, who advocated for a patient, flexible approach to using the team’s cap room.

Rose has managed to make everybody happy so far — he acquired Derrick Rose, like Thibodeau wanted, drafted Immanuel Quickley, which Wesley “pushed for like crazy,” and used the Knicks’ cap room primarily on affordable one-year signings, which was Aller’s preference.

“His job is to sort through different opinions from different people and make the best decision,” a rival executive said of Rose. “It certainly seems like he’s doing that well.”

Here are a few more highlights from Weitzman’s story, which is worth checking out in full:

Wesley, who had been hyping up Quickley for months, badly wanted the Knicks to select him at No. 23 and was “furious” when the team made a last-second decision to trade back to No. 25, loudly declaring, “Coach says we need shooting, Quickley’s the best shooter.” The Knicks ultimately landed the Kentucky point guard with the 25th pick.
According to Weitzman, when conversations in the front office focused on players who had no connections to Kentucky or to CAA, Wesley would often close his eyes. “When Wes said ‘we,’ people weren’t sure if he was referring to the Knicks or Kentucky,” one source said of World Wide Wes, who has a long-standing friendship with Wildcats coach John Calipari.
Meetings between Thibodeau and Aller sometimes became heated, given their diametric points of view on winning now vs. rebuilding. Weitzman says Thibodeau would sometime mockingly refer to Aller as “Hinkie,” a reference to Sam Hinkie, who infamously took an extreme long-term view when he rebuilt the Sixers.
Thibodeau pushed for the Knicks to use their cap room to pursue veteran free agents such as Gordon Hayward, Marcus Morris, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, per Weitzman. While the Knicks were said to be in the mix for Hayward, they ultimately used their space to sign veterans like Nerlens Noel, Alec Burks, and Elfrid Payton to one-year deals.

37 comments New York Knicks Bogdan Bogdanovic Brock Aller Gordon Hayward Immanuel Quickley Leon Rose Marcus Morris Mitchell Robinson RJ Barrett Tom Thibodeau William Wesley

Vucevic On Trade Rumors: “I’m Happy Where I Am”

By Luke Adams | at March 10, 2021 8:10 am

Following a 6-2 start this season, the Magic lost 21 of their last 28 games entering the All-Star break, fueling trade speculation about many of their most productive veterans, including standout center Nikola Vucevic. However, Vucevic doesn’t sound like someone who’s eager to leave Orlando, telling Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel that he loves being with the Magic.

“I’m happy where I am,” Vucevic said. “When I re-signed with the Magic, I knew it was going to be a process and I knew we weren’t going to turn into a championship team right away.

“… It’s unfortunate we’ve had all of these injuries. I think we are headed in the right direction, but we have lost two very important players — Markelle (Fultz) and J.I. (Jonathan Isaac) — for the season. If we were healthier, our goals would be much different and we could achieve much more. But that’s just part of the journey. Unexpected things are going to happen.”

Expressing loyalty to one’s team publicly isn’t uncommon even for a player who would prefer a change of scenery. But there’s reason to believe Vucevic’s stance is genuine. The All-Star center recently told Shams Charania of The Athletic that he likes the idea of building a legacy with one team, citing Damian Lillard‘s loyalty to the Trail Blazers as a point of reference.

Of course, Vucevic doesn’t have any veto power over a trade, so the Magic don’t need his approval to move him if they get an offer they like. And several teams – including the Celtics, Heat, Spurs, and Hornets – are said to have “significant” interest in the 30-year-old. Still, all indications are that Orlando isn’t looking to trade Vucevic and would require a massive return to consider making a deal.

For now, players like Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, and perhaps Terrence Ross appear to be more likely trade candidates than Vucevic, who is having a career year with 24.6 PPG and 11.6 RPG on .483/.412/.851 shooting. Vucevic is under contract through the 2022/23 season, so the Magic would have plenty of opportunities to consider moving the big man in future years if they hang onto him through the 2021 deadline.

20 comments Orlando Magic Nikola Vucevic

Western Notes: Pelicans, Warriors, Collins, Rockets

By Alex Kirschenbaum | at March 9, 2021 9:55 pm

Though the Pelicans had a rocky start to the 2020/21 season, they remain in the hunt for a play-in appearance. With a 15-21 record, New Orleans is currently three games behind the Grizzlies, the No. 10 seed, for a shot at a postseason play-in game. Christian Clark, Rod Walker and Scott Kushner of NOLA.com explore how New Orleans might be able to make the postseason.

The NOLA.com team examines the Pelicans’ porous defense, whether or not guard Lonzo Ball‘s improvement since missing a handful of games in January with knee soreness is here to stay, and the lack of consistent minutes for multiple recent first-round picks. The improvement of Zion Williamson on offense, reflected by his first All-Star appearance this weekend, also gives the writers hope for the Pelicans’ postseason chances.

There’s more out of the Western Conference:

The Warriors have several big-picture items to address heading into the post-All Star break portion of the year, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Slater examines the future of pricey forward Kelly Oubre Jr., an unrestricted free agent this summer, plus the development of young big men James Wiseman and Eric Paschall, among other issues.
With Atlanta power forward John Collins rumored to be a trade target for the sinking 7-29 Timberwolves, Michael Rand of the Star Tribune assesses how such a deal could play out. Collins, still just 23, rejected a reported $90MM+ extension from Atlanta earlier this season in the hopes of netting a much bigger offer sheet this summer. His two-way impact could greatly improve the struggling Timberwolves, who are undersized at the position and clearly in need of an interior defensive presence. Orlando power forward Aaron Gordon also may be a target.
The reeling 11-23 Rockets, losers of 13 straight, face a bevy of questions heading into the season after the All-Star break, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Feigen wonders how much of Houston’s trouble can be solved by the expected return of injured big man Christian Wood (whose 13-game absence has coincided with the team’s losing streak), and just how good Wood will prove to be over the length of his new deal with the team. Feigen also discusses new addition Kevin Porter Jr., and considers just how much of the team’s veteran-laden roster will stick around past the trade deadline.

15 comments Golden State Warriors Houston Rockets Minnesota Timberwolves New Orleans Pelicans John Collins

Meyers Leonard To Be Away From Heat Indefinitely

By Alex Kirschenbaum | at March 9, 2021 9:30 pm

After using an anti-Semitic slur during a Twitch live stream yesterday, injured Heat reserve center Meyers Leonard will be “away from the team indefinitely,” the team announced in a statement (via Twitter).

Leonard issued an apology today for his comment, as Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

“While I didn’t know what the word meant at the time, my ignorance about its history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is absolutely not an excuse and I was just wrong,” he said. “This is not a proper representation of who I am and I want to apologize to the Arisons, my teammates, coaches, front office, and everyone associated with the Miami Heat organization, to my family, to our loyal fans and to others in the Jewish community who I have hurt.”

After re-signing with the Heat for a guaranteed $9.4MM during the 2020 offseason, Leonard appeared in just three games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

The NBA and the Heat announced earlier today that they were reviewing the offending video clip in which Leonard uttered the slur as he played ‘Call of Duty: Warzone’ on Twitch. The Heat have since indicated they’ll let the league take the lead on the probe.

“The words used by Meyers Leonard were wrong and we will not tolerate hateful language from anyone associated with our franchise,” the team said. “The Miami Heat will cooperate with the NBA while it conducts its investigation.”

The Heat’s contract with Leonard also includes a $10.1MM team option for the 2021/22 season. That option was always a long shot to be picked up — now, given the big man’s injury and this off-court incident, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which it’ll be exercised.

78 comments Miami Heat Newsstand Meyers Leonard

Southwest Notes: Lamb, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Luka

By Alex Kirschenbaum | at March 9, 2021 8:06 pm

At 18-16, the Mavericks are currently the No. 8 seed in the West. Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News takes a look at potential trades ahead of the March 25 deadline that could help Dallas move into the Western Conference’s top tier.

Wizards All-Star guard Bradley Beal and Hawks power forward John Collins (a restricted free agent this summer) are among the higher-impact targets Dallas could pursue to pair with All-Star guard Luka Doncic. Veteran Pelicans wing J.J. Redick could be a more realistic addition.

There’s more out of the Southwest:

New Rockets forward Anthony Lamb raved about the club, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston (Twitter link). “It’s an unbelievable opportunity,” Lamb said. “Just being able to play with them is awesome. I’m so grateful for the chance.” Lamb had been playing with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ G League affiliate. He highlighted his familiarity with the Vipers’ system (which is modeled after Houston’s) when discussing his transition to Houston, Berman tweets. “It’s gonna make it a lot easier to make it simple for myself,” Lamb said.
The Grizzlies have announced (Twitter link) that they have recalled Jontay Porter from their G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, and have transferred two-way player Sean McDermott back to the Grizzlies as well. Across nine contests for the Hustle, Porter averaged 7.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.2 APG and 1.2 BPG. McDermott averaged 17.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 1.5 for the club’s NBAGL affiliate.
Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News wonders if a trade could help the Mavericks spread the wealth and yield a more balanced offensive attack for the club. This could prove particularly beneficial to point guard Luka Doncic, currently quarterbacking the club’s offense at a high usage rate.

8 comments Dallas Mavericks Houston Rockets Memphis Grizzlies Anthony Lamb Jontay Porter Sean McDermott

Pistons GM Weaver Talks Deadline, Casey, Hayes, More

By Luke Adams | at March 9, 2021 6:30 pm

Speaking today to reporters, including James Edwards III of The Athletic and Keith Langlois of Pistons.com, Pistons general manager Troy Weaver said that he plans to remain aggressive at the trade deadline, but doesn’t anticipate it being nearly as eventful as the 2020 offseason, when the front office overhauled nearly Detroit’s entire roster.

“I wouldn’t expect a bunch of fireworks, but we’re going to be aggressive and comb the league and look at things to see if we can get better,” Weaver said. “But I don’t anticipate as much activity as we had in November. It would be kind of hard to top that.”

Weaver addressed a series of other topics during his media session, praising head coach Dwane Casey for the player-development work he has done this season and stating that there will be an update on injured point guard Killian Hayes (hip) next week. The Pistons’ GM added that the team intends to take a “long, long look” at Dennis Smith Jr. and that he likes what he has seen so far.

Here are a few more of the most notable quotes from Weaver’s presser, via Edwards and Langlois:

On whether anyone on the roster is off-limits via trade:

“No. Nobody is untouchable. … I learned, ‘Never say never,’ but there are some guys who are here to stay, so we’ll see. … I’ll say this guy is untouchable and then someone calls and offers four first-round picks. Strange things have happened.”

On whether Mason Plumlee might be traded at the deadline:

“Mason has been tremendous. Coach Casey … this was his No. 1 guy that he really wanted for our ball club because of the different skills he brings, experience and locker room presence, and Casey was dead on. This guy has been tremendous for us. He’s really helped the young guys, really stepped his game up.

“… As far as the trade deadline, I’m not sure what’s going to come our way with Mason. We’re extremely happy with him right now.”

On why Weaver uses the team “restore” rather than the more-common “rebuild”:

“My dad, he used to collect older cars, and he had a 1966 Monte Carlo that he was restoring. Before he passed, I would go out there and talk with him. He said, ‘You can only restore something that is great.’ That stuck with me.

“There’s been greatness in Detroit. Three championships. That’s why I wanted to use it. No slight to what I’m about to say, but the Timberwolves can’t restore. They don’t have three championships. They don’t have the greatness. The Atlanta Hawks can’t restore. The Detroit Pistons can restore. We want to restore greatness back in the franchise.”

12 comments Detroit Pistons Dennis Smith Jr.Dwane Casey Killian Hayes Mason Plumlee Troy Weaver

Eastern Notes: Wizards, Pistons, Bucks, Blake

By Alex Kirschenbaum | at March 9, 2021 5:47 pm

The biggest need for the Wizards at the trade deadline appears to be adding a perimeter shooting threat, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington.

Now that the team has shored up its defense after early woes, Hughes posits that improving the Wizards’ low-ranking outside shooting should be the next item to be addressed. He notes that another route Washington could take is increasing minutes for a deep-bench player who may already fit the profile of a sniper, like rookie power forward Anthony Gill.

There’s more out of the Eastern Conference:

The 10-26 Pistons own the worst record in the East and may be looking to make some roster changes, according to James L. Edwards III and John Hollinger of The Athletic. Opposing clubs have apparently been interested in acquiring Delon Wright, Wayne Ellington, and Mason Plumlee, all players Detroit could be amenable to moving. The Athletic writers speculate on potential deals for those players.
After failing to make the NBA Finals across two disappointing postseasons, the Bucks will be looking to make marginal moves around the trade deadline in hopes of making a deep playoff run, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Nehm discusses a few possible trades that could bring more veteran leadership to Milwaukee, including moves for Rockets forward P.J. Tucker and Pistons wing Wayne Ellington.
Sources tell James L. Edwards III of The Athletic that the Pistons could have traded pricey power forward Blake Griffin had they been willing to attach a first-round pick in such an exchange. Instead, the Pistons opted for a buyout.

6 comments Detroit Pistons Milwaukee Bucks Washington Wizards Blake Griffin

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Month: March 2021