Heat, Thunder Discussing Ariza Deal
The Heat are discussing a trade with the Thunder that would send veteran forward Trevor Ariza to Miami, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer tweets.
The Thunder have been seeking a second-round pick from the numerous playoff contenders showing interest in Ariza, O’Connor adds. Ariza has been away from the team all season, having been acquired in an offseason trade as a salary throw-in.
Ariza has a $12.8MM salary and the Heat are a hard-capped team, so they’d have to send out at least one player to match salaries. Miami has a $7.5MM trade exception that expires on Monday but Ariza’s salary wouldn’t fit into that slot.
Ariza, 35, appeared in a combined 53 games with Sacramento and Portland last season. He’d add some wing depth for Miami.
The Lakers are one of the other teams that have reportedly looked into acquiring Ariza.
Southeast Notes: Reddish, Hunter, Dunn, Gordon, Bradley
Cam Reddish is showing progress, but the Hawks swingman will be sidelined at least two more weeks. Reddish, who has missed the last nine games due to Achilles soreness, has been cleared to remove his walking boot and will now start low-level rehab activities, Sarah K. Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. The 2019 lottery pick, who is averaging 11.2 PGG and 4.0 RPG this season, hasn’t played since February 21.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Another key Hawks player, forward De’Andre Hunter, could return to action as soon as Thursday, GM Travis Schlenk told Mike Conti of 92.9 The Game (Twitter link). Hunter, who is averaging 17.2 PPG and 5.4 APG, has not played since January 29 and underwent meniscus surgery on his right knee in early February. Free agent acquisition Kris Dunn, who hasn’t played this season due to an ankle injury, could make his Atlanta debut during the team’s upcoming eight-game road swing.
- Aaron Gordon‘s name has popped up frequently in trade rumors, prompting The Athletic’s Josh Robbins, Jason Quick, and Jon Krawczynski to break down the prospects of a Gordon trade to the Trail Blazers or Timberwolves. The discussion concludes that it’s unlikely the Magic would be offered a sufficient package from either team for the starting forward, whose contract expires after next season.
- Heat guard Avery Bradley was listed as questionable for Tuesday night’s game against the Cavaliers but he did not dress, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweets. Bradley has missed 19 consecutive games due to a right calf strain.
Atlantic Notes: Thompson, Griffin, Knicks
Celtics center Tristan Thompson will miss Tuesday’s game against Utah after being placed under the league’s health and safety protocols, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston tweets. A number of Boston players, including stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, have sat out games this season for the same reason. Thompson played against Houston on Sunday, contributing eight points and 13 rebounds. He’s averaging 7.9 PPG and 8.4 RPG.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Blake Griffin is “healthy enough to play,” according to coach Steve Nash, but the Nets aren’t in any hurry to get the former All-Star forward back in action, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Griffin’s debut with the club has been delayed as they focus on ensuring his surgically-repaired knee holds up. “We’re just trying to work on some of his physical deficiencies, to improve and help the knee, and also ramp up his activity so he can have a safer return to play,” Nash said. “So, we’ll just keep monitoring it, keep building, and we’ll have him back at some point here.”
- Griffin’s desire for a ring is why he chose the Nets in free agency after getting bought out by Detroit and clearing waivers, he told ESPN’s Malika Andrews (hat tip to NetsDaily.com). “That’s my main goal: to win a championship,” he said. “After being in the playoffs and missing the playoffs through a certain period of time, that hunger stays alive and it grows. And that’s where I’m at. I know myself and I know what I can do, so, I’m just ready to get out there.”
- The Knicks have the most current salary-cap space at $15.7MM as the trade deadline nears. What should they do with it? ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Kelvin Pelton take a closer look at what types of moves they could make before the deadline and during the offseason.
Raptors’ Starters Siakam, VanVleet Cleared To Practice
The Raptors, who have been decimated by the league’s health and safety protocols, are getting closer to having their team back at full strength.
Starters Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet, as well as reserves Malachi Flynn and Patrick McCaw, have been cleared to practice on Tuesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. The Raptors play at Detroit on Wednesday.
That leaves only OG Anunoby remaining under the COVID-19 restrictions. He’s listed as out for Wednesday’s game by the team, according to Blake Murphy of The Athletic (Twitter link). VanVleet is listed as doubtful to play, while Siakam, Flynn, McCaw are listed as questionable.
Toronto’s coaching staff, including Nick Nurse, were also placed under those protocols during the week leading up to the All-Star break.
The team’s fortunes have nosedived while playing shorthanded. The Raptors have lost five straight to fall five games below .500.
Mannix’s Latest: Clippers, Rubio, Magic, Celtics, Horford, More
The Clippers remain in the market for help at the point guard position, with Hornets veteran Terry Rozier among the players who has drawn “strong internal interest,” according to Chris Mannix of SI.com. Mannix adds that George Hill and Ricky Rubio are among the other possible trade candidates in play for the Clippers, who have limited draft assets to use as sweeteners.
The Magic, who are also seeking point guard help, have kicked the tires on Rubio lately as well, per Mannix. That lines up with a Monday report from Jake Fischer of SI.com, who said Orlando had discussed a trade with the Timberwolves that would involve Rubio and Aaron Gordon.
Magic head coach Steve Clifford, who coached Kemba Walker in Charlotte, remains a big fan of the Celtics point guard, but Walker is unlikely to be on the move by March 25, says Mannix.
Here’s more from Mannix’s latest round-up of trade-related rumors:
- Reports on Monday indicated that a trade is more likely than a buyout for LaMarcus Aldridge, and that the Celtics are focusing on the Spurs‘ big man. However, Mannix cites league sources who believe a buyout is the most likely outcome for Aldridge, and adds that Boston isn’t interested in trading for the veteran Spur.
- While the Thunder are open to listening to inquires on Al Horford, they’re happy with how he has performed this season and won’t be looking to just give him away, Mannix writes.
- Rival executives view the Heat as the favorites to land Rockets forward P.J. Tucker, per Mannix.
- Tom Thibodeau has urged the Knicks‘ front office to be active at the deadline, and the club may pursue upgrades, but so far New York has shown little appetite for moving any of its top young players or taking on long-term salary, Mannix reports.
- While Michael Porter Jr. is presumed to be off-limits, Gary Harris, Will Barton, and Bol Bol are among the Nuggets believed to be available as the team seeks a complementary piece for Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, according to Mannix.
NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Young Players On Buyers
With the March 25 trade deadline fast approaching, Hoops Rumors is taking a closer look at players around the NBA who are candidates to be moved this month, breaking them down into several categories based on their age, contracts, on-court value, and other categories. Today, we’ll zero in on young players on buyers who could be moved as their teams explore upgrades.
Playoff contenders and championship hopefuls who are in the market for roster upgrades often rely on first- and second-round draft picks to acts as sweeteners in their trade offers. But for clubs that have already traded away many of their future picks or simply prefer not to sacrifice draft capital, using promising young talent to build a package may be a more viable option.
In today’s installment of our Trade Candidate series, we’re focusing on young players who could (or should) be available if certain teams seeking roster upgrades make deals this month.
We’ve already looked at several restricted free-agents-to-be who may be trade candidates — we won’t repeat them here, which is why young players like John Collins, Kendrick Nunn, and Talen Horton-Tucker don’t show up in the space below.
Additionally, since we’re focusing on teams expected to be buyers, we won’t be mentioning young players on presumed sellers who may benefit from a change of scenery (such as Marvin Bagley or Mohamed Bamba).
Let’s dive in…
Non-rotation players:
- Carsen Edwards, Aaron Nesmith, and Romeo Langford, Celtics
- R.J. Hampton, Zeke Nnaji, and Bol Bol, Nuggets
- Josh Green, Tyrell Terry, and Tyler Bey, Mavericks
- Kevin Knox, Knicks
- Jalen Smith, Suns
- Udoka Azubuike, Jazz
- CJ Elleby, Trail Blazers
- Daniel Oturu, Clippers
Some of the players in this group have been regulars for their respective teams at times this season, but none are currently playing 15-20 minutes per night.
Although we’re grouping all of these players together, that doesn’t mean their values are roughly identical. Players like Bol or Smith are developmental prospects who are still relatively raw and are viewed as having upside, whereas someone like Knox – who is in his third season but has still been unable to carve out a regular role – has seen his value dip since being drafted in the lottery.
Other players in this group, such as Elleby and Oturu, were second-round picks and were never considered premium prospects, but still could have some value to teams that view them as potential role players.
The players here could be used to sweeten a trade offer, but – with a few exceptions – likely wouldn’t be the centerpiece of any deal for a difference-maker.
Regular rotation players:
- Kevin Huerter and Cam Reddish, Hawks
- Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little, Trail Blazers
- Tyrese Maxey, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, and Furkan Korkmaz, Sixers
- Payton Pritchard, Celtics
- Donte DiVincenzo, Bucks
- Aaron Holiday, Pacers
- Precious Achiuwa, Heat
- Terance Mann, Clippers
- Nicolas Claxton, Nets
- Josh Okogie, Jarrett Culver, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, and Jaylen Nowell, Timberwolves
This is a more intriguing group than the first, even if there may not be any future All-Stars in the bunch.
Huerter and Reddish are part of the second tier of Hawks’ young players, behind presumed untouchables Trae Young and De’Andre Hunter. If Atlanta takes a big swing at the deadline, it’s a safe bet that at least one of Huerter and Reddish would be among the outgoing pieces.
Simons, Holiday, and Mann have received glowing reviews from their respective teams over the years, but have yet to break out and should be available in the right deals. Meanwhile, the Bucks have already shown that DiVincenzo is available in the right trade, having reportedly agreed to send him to Sacramento last fall in a sign-and-trade for Bogdan Bogdanovic before that deal fell apart.
It would probably take a lot for the Sixers, Celtics, and Heat to part with promising rookies Maxey, Pritchard, and Achiuwa (Maxey’s inclusion in a James Harden offer was reportedly a point of contention), but they shouldn’t be off-limits, even if Philadelphia would probably rather move Thybulle and/or Korkmaz.
Including any Timberwolves players here may seem odd, since they have the NBA’s worst record. But even if they’re not traditional “buyers,” they’ve been linked to power forwards like John Collins and Aaron Gordon. They’d want to hang onto Anthony Edwards in any such deal, so any of their other young players would probably be available.
Would likely only be available for a star-caliber player:
- Michael Porter Jr., Nuggets
- James Wiseman, Warriors
- Tyler Herro, Heat
If Bradley Beal were available, these players are the kinds of prospects the Wizards would presumably be targeting. But since Beal, Zach LaVine, and most other All-Star caliber players aren’t expected to be in play at this year’s deadline, it’s unlikely we’ll see any of these youngsters on the move. The one exception could be Herro, if the Magic get serious about moving Nikola Vucevic.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Drummond, Reed, Raptors, Sanders
A report on Monday indicated that the Knicks are considering the possibility of a multiyear contract offer for Andre Drummond if he’s bought out and reaches free agency. However, a source from one opposing team is skeptical about Drummond’s fit in New York, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
“I don’t love it for (Julius) Randle,” Begley’s source said. “Drummond plays close to the rim, so you’re limiting what Randle can do. Long-term, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.”
Besides the fit with Randle, there’s concern about what sort of impact adding Drummond would have on the development of young Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, who is under contract through 2022. At this point though, there’s no reason to necessarily believe the Knicks would be the frontrunner for Drummond over title contenders like the Lakers and Nets if he agrees to a buyout with Cleveland.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Coming off an impressive performance in the G League bubble, Sixers rookie forward Paul Reed is expected to have his two-way contract turned into a standard deal at some point, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Charania doesn’t make it clear whether that will happen during the season or in the summer, but I imagine the 76ers would prefer to get it done sooner rather than later — Reed would be a restricted free agent if he finishes the season on his current deal, opening the door for a rival team to give him an offer sheet.
- The shorthanded Raptors are in the midst of a five-game losing streak, but the slide – which has come with Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and two other players sidelined – shouldn’t change the team’s approach to the trade deadline, one way or the other, writes Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.
- Raptors 905 general manager Chad Sanders has been named the NBA G League Executive of the Year for 2020/21, per a press release. Sanders’ squad had the best regular season record in the NBAGL bubble, at 12-3.
Follow NFL Free Agency At Pro Football Rumors
NFL free agency is in full swing! Whether you’re a hardcore football fan or a casual Sunday watcher, you’re going to want to follow every update at Pro Football Rumors (@pfrumors on Twitter).
The Patriots have dominated the “legal tampering” period so far, shelling out major dollars for ex-Ravens edge rusher Matt Judon, former Chargers tight end Hunter Henry, and many more stars.
Meanwhile, the Buccaneers kept the band together with fresh deals for tight end Rob Gronkowski and outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett. How? Some very clever accounting by the defending champs, plus a little help from core players like Tom Brady.
Here’s the kicker — NFL free agency hasn’t even officially started yet! Most of the league’s high-impact players are still on the board, so what are you waiting for? Follow Pro Football Rumors on Twitter today — @pfrumors.
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.