Earlier today, veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein reported that the Jazz are preparing a contract offer in the three-year, $75MM range for free agent point guard Mike Conley and said teams with interest in Hawks big man John Collins were growing increasingly pessimistic about landing him.
In his full Substack newsletter, Stein reiterates those points, noting that Collins seems intent on re-signing with the Hawks, and shares a handful of other tidbits related to free agency and the trade market. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights…
- Stein dismisses rumors that the Sixers might be becoming more open to a trade structured around Ben Simmons and Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum, describing that idea as “ill-founded.” If Philadelphia is going to make a deal with Portland, Damian Lillard will be the target, says Stein. The 76ers, who aren’t inclined to do the Blazers any favors in their efforts to convince Lillard to remain in Portland, continue to insist they’re not in a rush to resolve the Simmons situation, Stein adds.
- Kyle Lowry is the top free agent target for the Heat, Mavericks, and Pelicans, according to Stein, who wonders if the point guard’s close relationship with Jimmy Butler might give Miami a recruiting advantage once free agency begins.
- Some rival teams believe the Raptors may become more willing to pursue a Pascal Siakam trade after drafting Scottie Barnes fourth overall on Thursday, per Stein.
- There was “considerable chatter” leading up to the draft that veteran center Daniel Theis will be one of the Rockets‘ top priorities in free agency, says Stein. It’s not clear if Houston’s selection of Alperen Sengun in Thursday’s draft changes the team’s frontcourt plans at all.
That makes sense about trading away Pascal siakam after drafting Scottie Barnes. I tell you what that price has really dropped from Warrior’s perspective. I might do a sign-and-trade with Kelly oubre or straight up Andrew Wiggins but perhaps that’s about it? Maybe, slight maybe throw in Moody but I’m not sure. So Wiggins and Moody? Might do that. Where else can Toronto go for a deal? Kelly oubre and Moody and maybe Jordan Poole? Not sure let’s see how it plays out.
Siakam is huge overpaid due to efficiency
He is comparable to Ben Simmons value
Equal value
Wiggins, Poole and Paschall for Siakam
Wiggins is overpaid by $10 million
Warriors can attach $5 million cash with him
What’s the hate on Siakam? Because his 3pt shooting dropped?
No hate it’s just he’s out with a shoulder injury until December sometime and I think now the draft is over teams May settle in on who they picked rather than it’s just a number and easy to deal away? Kaminga and Moody start looking a little better once you pick them. So no particular hate on Pascal siakam, just think maybe what the Warriors would give up and other teams maybe also is a little less after the draft. We’ve got two months before training camp starts that’s a lot of time 2 figure out a deal instead of Draft Day you’re a little more desperate I guess. I don’t know…, definitely no hate though. I’d love to have him on my team.
I would not include Poole in a Siakam trade.
Wolves, Wizards and Heat are interested in Ben Simmons and they don’t care about asking price
It seems that they all offer role players for Simmons
Theis could be an alternative if Olynyk doesn’t want to re-sign cheaply.
But Theis would have real a hard time earning minutes with Wood, Sengun, Tate, and Garbua already on the roster. They’re better off re-signing Olynyk anyway.
I like Kelly Olynyk I think he’s a serviceable big. With him developing that shot he’s definitely someone that adds quite a bit to the team. He’s more than a grunt.
John Collins made it obvious throughout the entire season & really throughout his 1st 4yrs in the league that he loved playing in ATL & never wavered on his intent to re-sign with the Hawks. But now that Marc Stein said it I guess people can believe it
I thought he was more about the money and a max deal? So he’ll take less and stay in Atlanta? That’s good for the Hawks he fits the roster.
He’s definitely about the $ just like any other human would be, but he never said anything about only wanting a max deal. That’s just something people have repeated so much they started to believe it. But yea he fits us extremely well, zero way we were ever gonna let him walk
Hawks scored valuewise, with Jalen Johnson at #20, a reason for Collins to consider if he does get a max offer. Some team might offer that just to mess with Schlenk, since Hawks were so successful suddenly. He’s almost worth it.
But they got Sherif Cooper later, so Sankara must be happy anyway.
Off topic
If a team reaches $182 million in salary, the luxury tax is $200 million per season
Lakers now are on the way to this amount $382 million payroll
Could be an issue
lmao Sixers think they hold all the power with Simmons. teams should let them get bounced again next season and watch Simmons value dip even more
Morey is negotiating pretty poorly. He’s starting high to meet his asking when he comes down but he’s starting too high.
I think he’s just waiting on Dame or Beal and will pay whatever the cost is. And if one of those teams met his ask, then fine, do that deal.
Three varied views, succintly put, IDK who’s right.
Morey does seem comfortable with a delay… maybe to give teams time until they can draft more of a selection to offer.
Why does everyone bag on Siakim so much he’s still a very good player.
He’s won a championship, he’s made all nba second team, he was an all star.
His career highs are 22.9-7.3-4.5-1.1-0.9.
Last year he averaged 21.4-7.2-4.5-1.1-0.7 while also setting a career high in FTs.
Those numbers are all almost career highs for him. Yes the Raptors sucked and yes his efficiency dropped but they lost Kawhi, Gasol and Ibaka and only brought back Aaron Baynes as a replacement. They were going to struggle regardless and now everyone hates on Siakim cause he got a new deal.
Y’all must know nothing about ball or just not actually watch much cause he’s still balling hard
Two years with a fast rise, then two years at a mild decline… Ujiri knows how much TOR featured Siakam last year and is shopping him now, more than Lowery.
TOR has to come back after tanking.
Personally I think Siakam was at the same level or the skin of a tooth better last year than the prior when he got All-NBA, so all the criticism of him is pretty irrelevant to me, as he played as good as he has ever.
Having said that I wonder if there is something about him that TOR doesn’t like or say publicly as I find very strange that they are trying hard to trade him.
I know he is anything but young, neither is FVV & they aren’t trying to get rid of him, worth mentioning that getting rid of FVV must be much harder than Siakam.
I understand if they are desperate to get rid of K-Low, but… really don’t see the why with Siakam, maybe one day we will know, maybe not, right?