Hawks Have Reportedly Sought Lottery Pick For Collins
While the Hawks aren’t actively looking to trade John Collins, they’ve reportedly shown a willingness to listen to offers. And, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Atlanta has sought “a high first-round, lottery-level” draft pick in any deal for Collins.
Collins, 23, has been one of the Hawks’ most impactful players this season, averaging 18.1 PPG and 7.8 RPG on .543/.391/.853 shooting in 26 games (31.8 MPG). The club has a +2.8 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to -7.9 when he sits, per NBA.com.
However, Collins’ looming restricted free agency complicates his value. Although he’s earning just $4.14MM this season, he’ll receive a huge raise – perhaps even all the way up to the maximum salary – when he signs his next contract, which will begin in 2021/22. Any team interested in acquiring Collins would have to be prepared to commit major money to him later this year.
It will also be a challenge for the Hawks to acquire an impact player in return for Collins, since most players of that caliber have cap hits far higher than his $4.14MM figure. The team could attach Collins to Tony Snell‘s $12.18MM expiring contract, but would still need to add more salary to land a player earning more than about $21MM.
If the main asset Atlanta receives for Collins is a draft pick, salary-matching would be far less of a concern, so Charania’s report makes some sense. But the Hawks badly want to make the postseason this year and will likely be reluctant to trade their second-leading scorer for a future pick unless they fall out of the playoff hunt.
It’s also tricky to identify many teams who would move a lottery-level pick for a player who could theoretically potentially be poached from Atlanta in free agency this summer with an aggressive, max-level offer sheet.
If the Hawks haven’t moved Collins by the offseason, they could face a difficult decision on whether to match an offer that exceeds what they’re comfortable paying him — while they’ll have the ability to match any offer sheet, they reportedly offered him only $90MM-ish over four years prior to the season. A four-year offer sheet this summer projects to be worth more than $120MM.
For what it’s worth, I’d be shocked if the Hawks hang onto Collins through 2020/21 and then let him walk for nothing. Even if he’s not in their long-term plans, it would make sense for the team to match an offer sheet and bet that he can be traded down the road for positive value.
Cavs Plan To Sit Andre Drummond As They Pursue Trade
The Cavaliers are planning to keep Andre Drummond on the bench as they work on finding a trade destination for the veteran center, according to Adrian Wojnarowsi and Brian Windorst of ESPN. As ESPN’s duo explains, Jarrett Allen is considered the Cavs’ center of the future and the team believes it’s unfair to Drummond to limit his minutes as the transition to Allen takes place.
According to Wojnarowski and Windhorst, general manager Koby Altman discussed the decision with Drummond and his agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports. While Schwartz wouldn’t confirm or deny ESPN’s report, he offered the following statement:
“Whichever direction this goes, Andre is 27, in his prime, and I believe strongly that he has a great deal to add to a team building toward a postseason run.”
Drummond was ruled out of Sunday’s game for “rest” purposes, but sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic that the center sat on Sunday in part due to his recent “attitude and play.” Charania adds that head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has had multiple sit-down discussions with the 27-year-old, who has been frustrated by the Cavaliers’ recent slump.
According to Charania, the Raptors and Cavs are engaging in trade discussions about Drummond. However, a deal could take a while to come together as Toronto and Cleveland navigate through cap-related challenges and the possibility of incorporating other teams, so nothing is imminent.
Wojnarowski tweets that, while Cleveland is gauging the Drummond market, there are no “serious” ongoing talks taking place. Addressing the Raptors possibility specifically, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca confirms (via Twitter) that Toronto has interest, but says discussions have only been exploratory and notes that matching Drummond’s $28.75MM salary would be difficult.
Other teams, including the Nets and Mavericks, would have interest in Drummond if he’s bought out, sources tell The Athletic. It’s unclear how many clubs besides Toronto would be interested in pursuing the big man via trade.
Cleveland’s obvious preference would be to avoid a buyout, especially since the team remains in the hunt for an Eastern Conference playoff spot and wouldn’t want to essentially hand Drummond to a conference rival for nothing, Charania writes. No buyout discussions have taken place to this point, sources tell ESPN.
Meanwhile, Drummond may not be the only Cavs center who is traded prior to the March 25 deadline. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reports that the club has received trade offers for all of its centers, though only Drummond and JaVale McGee are considered available — Allen isn’t going anywhere.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Kevin Durant Out At Least Two Games With Hamstring Strain
Nets star Kevin Durant has been diagnosed with a mild left hamstring strain and will miss at least the next two games, the team announced (via Twitter).
Brooklyn’s next two games are in Sacramento on Monday and in Phoenix on Tuesday. If Durant’s absence doesn’t extend beyond those two contests, he’d be able to return for a Thursday showdown in Los Angeles against the Lakers on TNT.
It has been a stop-and-start year so far for Durant, who missed the entire 2019/20 season as he recovered from an Achilles tear. The Nets have played it safe with the former MVP in the early going, holding him out of half of some back-to-back sets to manage his return from that injury. Durant has also been sidelined for several games due to two separate week-long stints in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
Since James Harden made his Nets debut on January 16, the team’s Big Three – Durant, Harden, and Kyrie Irving – has been active for just seven of 15 games, and Durant was forced to exit one of those games early due to COVID-19 protocols.
On the plus side for Brooklyn, DeAndre Jordan, who missed Saturday’s game vs. Golden State for personal reasons, is listed as probable to play on Monday against Sacramento.
Western Notes: Giannis, Jazz, Aldridge, Dort, Williams
Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo praised the Jazz after losing a 129-115 game to the team on Friday, calling them the “best team in the West” after the contest, according to ESPN’s Eric Woodyard.
“It just looks fun. Like when I watch them play, it looks fun, it looks easy,” Antetokounmpo explained. “It looks simple. For sure, they look like us last year, and man, when you’re at that point and you’re playing with that confidence, you’re hard to beat for sure.”
Utah has won seven straight contests and 18 of its last 19 games, playing stellar basketball on both ends of the floor. The team is playing without Mike Conley (hamstring), who last saw action on February 5, though it still holds the best record in the league at 22-5.
Here are some other notes from the Western Conference:
- Spurs veteran LaMarcus Aldridge is without a timetable for his return, head coach Gregg Popovich said, per Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link). Aldridge missed his sixth straight game on Sunday as he continues rehabbing a hip injury, with Popovich adding that he’s not particularly close to a return.
- Luguentz Dort is gradually turning into the best defensive ace the Thunder have ever had, Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman opines. Dort has established himself as one of the league’s better defenders, also averaging 11.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in his second season.
- Suns coach Monty Williams is grateful for the time he spent in Philadelphia as an assistant, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “I was grateful when they first called me to be able to go to a team that was contending for a championship,” said Williams, who was with the Sixers in 2018/19. “You just don’t get those opportunities. … So for them to not only ask me to be apart of it, but take on a huge role is something that allowed me to answer the questions whether or not I was going to be able to do it again.”
Bulls Notes: Carter Jr., LaVine, Williams, Dotson
Bulls center Wendell Carter Jr. is in line for an earlier-than-expected return from a quadriceps injury, practicing with the team fully on Sunday, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports writes.
Carter, 21, sustained the injury nearly one month ago and has been out for the club’s last 11 games. He also missed time with injuries during his previous two campaigns, averaging 11.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 29.2 minutes per game during the 2019/20 season.
“Eventually, we’re going to have to throw him in there with the number of games coming and the limited amount of practice time,” coach Billy Donovan acknowledged. “(Sunday) was a good day for the fact we were able to practice and go up and down and do some 5-on-5 and he was able to participate in all of those things. And he looked fine doing it. I don’t think there was any problems at least while that was going on. We’ll see how he responds to the workload.”
Chicago will open a three-game road trip on Monday against Pacers, followed by games against the Hornets on Wednesday and Sixers on Friday.
Here are some other notes from the Windy City:
- Zach LaVine‘s teammates believed he’s being overlooked as a potential All-Star this season, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Though his defensive production needs work and the Bulls are 10-15, LaVine has averaged a career-high 28.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game this season. ‘‘I think he understands at this point in his career that individual accolades come when the team does really well,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘I think if it happens, it would be great for him to be recognized as an All-Star; it’s an incredible honor. But I don’t think it’s the driving force for him.’’
- Playing on Friday against Kawhi Leonard, his favorite player, was a learning experience for forward Patrick Williams, Cowley writes in a different story. Leonard finished with a game-high 33 points, also tallying six rebounds and zero turnovers in nearly 33 minutes in the Clippers’ 125-106 win. ‘‘Me, I think I could have done better — energy, defensively, just making it tough on him,’’ Williams said. ‘‘I think he was a little bit too comfortable out there. That’s on me. So . . . just gotta watch the film and get better from it offensively and defensively. And also, as a team, there are some things, some areas there where we kind of dropped the ball.’’
- Two-way player Devon Dotson had an impressive start to the G League Bubble last week, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports writes. Dotson finished with 16 points in the first contest, along with 12 points and 10 assists in the second, making a respectable impact in both games.
Atlantic Notes: Green, Nets, Milton, Boucher, Raptors
Warriors forward Draymond Green said he believes the Nets are “the team to beat” in the East after losing a 134-117 game to Brooklyn on Saturday night, as relayed by Peter Botte of The New York Post.
Green tallied six points, seven rebounds, and eight assists in the contest, playing against former teammate Kevin Durant for the first time since Durant left Golden State in the summer of 2019.
“They’ll be really dangerous in the East. I think there are some other good teams in the East that pose a threat to them, but they’re the team to beat in the East, if you ask me,” Green said. “It’s my opinion. That doesn’t mean anything, but that’s my opinion, they’re definitely the team to beat in the East.”
As it stands, the Nets hold the third-best record in the East at 16-12, trailing only Milwaukee (16-10) and Philadelphia (18-9) in the conference standings.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division tonight:
- Sixers guard Shake Milton will miss Monday’s game against the Jazz due to an ankle injury suffered last week, head coach Doc Rivers said, per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Rivers didn’t offer a specific return timetable for Milton, who has already missed the last two games.
- Raptors big man Chris Boucher has been the team’s most improbable success story, Michael Grange of Sportsnet writes. Boucher has proven to be effective on both ends of the floor this season, averaging 13.8 points and 6.9 rebounds in 23.3 minutes per game.
- The Raptors are striving to maximize their practice time as the season progresses, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star writes. Naturally, Toronto is also concerned with maintaining a balance and ensuring its players don’t get injured by increasing the workload too much, as guard Fred VanVleet explained. “It’s a fine line, because we have a very inexperienced team in some regards,” VanVleet said. “We’re not the sharpest team at times this year, so it feels like we need those reps. But at the same time it’s been a grind and we need to manage the schedule, manage guys’ bodies.”
Southeast Notes: Hawks, Carter-Williams, Collins, Heat
The Hawks could benefit from addressing a problem related to accountability, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic writes. Atlanta has opened the season with a 11-15 record, albeit with various injuries, but Kirschner contends the team’s underwhelming start shouldn’t just be attributed to that.
“We just really have to find a way to win,” Trae Young said. “It’s hard as hell to win in this league. We’re not fine with excuses with guys being out. We still have to find a way to dig in and make some shots and get some stops and find a way to win. That’s pretty much the bottom of the line.”
Atlanta has upcoming road games against New York on Monday, along with Boston on Wednesday and Friday. The team will then return home on Sunday to host the Nuggets. The Hawks currently hold the 10th-best record in the Eastern Conference.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Michael Carter-Williams provided the Magic with a boost at point guard in Friday’s victory over Sacramento, Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel writes. Despite missing the previous 19 games due to injury, Carter-Williams finished with 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in 27 minutes of work. “I’m always ready to go play the point. I’ve been doing it my whole life,” Carter-Williams said. “Coach has me do it in practice sometimes. I’m always staying sharp in that area for moments like this, so we can go out there and not skip a beat and still be successful.”
- Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel examines whether the Heat should go all-in for Hawks star John Collins. Miami has struggled offensively and could benefit from acquiring a starting power forward this season, though Collins would certainly come with a somewhat-hefty price tag. The 23-year-old has averaged 18.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 31.8 minutes per game in 26 contests, starting over free-agent acquisition Danilo Gallinari.
- Winderman examines in a separate story how the Heat’s flexibility is being limited by roster constraints. Miami has dealt with a series of injuries and COVID-19 issues this season, often leaving the team short-handed or leading to inconsistency during games.
Southwest Notes: Oladipo, Hinton, Point Zion, Tucker
Even before his recent right foot injury, new Rockets shooting guard Victor Oladipo has been wrestling with his productivity this season, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic.
The sore right foot, meanwhile has hampered his mobility of late and may keep him unavailable during the Rockets’ upcoming road trip. At a high 31.8 usage rate, Oladipo is shooting just 38.6% from the floor and 29.9% from long range through his first 11 games in Houston.
“Victor’s gonna get there,” Rockets head coach Stephen Silas said, going on to highlight Oladipo’s contributions on the other side of the ball. “Hopefully, his injury isn’t too bad. He is a big part of what we do, and one of the of the reasons we’re top five defensively is because of Victor Oladipo.”
There’s more out of the Southwest:
- Whilst on the NBAGL Orlando “bubble” campus, two-way Mavericks rookie shooting guard Nate Hinton has been recalled from the Long Island Nets and transferred to the Santa Cruz Warriors, according to a team tweet. Dallas’ own affiliate, the Texas Legends, isn’t active this season.
- The Pelicans‘ offense has benefited from second-year forward Zion Williamson being utilized at the point, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Williamson has frequently been starting the team’s offensive actions during the last five games. “That’s how I grew up playing the game,” Williamson said. “When I’m bringing it up, I take a quick snapshot of the court. I know where all my teammates are and I know where all my teammates are going to be.”
- Defensive-oriented 35-year-old Rockets iron man forward P.J. Tucker has yet to miss a game since joining Houston in 2017. writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. This season, Tucker and rookie forward Jae’Sean Tate are the only Rockets to have not missed any of Houston’s 26 games this season.
Knicks Notes: Randle, Quickley, Rose, Noel
With the addition of Derrick Rose to the Knicks‘ roster, nominal point forward Julius Randle (averaging a career-best 5.8 APG) will have to make changes to his game, writes Peter Botte of the New York Post.
“He’s gonna be extremely helpful,” Randle said of the Rose addition. “It gives us not just a veteran presence but a guy who can go out there and create plays, just a steadiness about him, just a confidence about him.”
Botte notes that thus far Randle and Rose’s minutes have been relatively staggered.
There’s more out of New York:
- Knicks rookie Immanuel Quickley, not even the first Knicks first-round pick in the 2020 NBA draft, has been impressing around the league thus far in his first season, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Though fans fretted that the arrival of a proven veteran scorer like Rose could cut into Quickley’s minutes, the rookie point guard has been playing alongside the former MVP in reserve lineups. “I’m learning a lot of stuff [from him],’’ Quickley said. “He’s a dog, an alpha dog, he’s a leader. It’s great to have somebody like that in my corner.’’
- Rose is already proving a welcome addition to the Knicks, according to Peter Botte of the New York Post. “He’s a great student of the game,” coach Tom Thibodeau raved about Rose, who has played for Thibodeau in all three of his head coaching stops thus far. “I think that is what has allowed him to adapt, grow and change.” Rose is averaging 14.7 PPG and 4.0 APG with New York, while posting an impressive shooting line of .548/.529/.778.
- The injury that will keep starting center Mitchell Robinson sidelined for at least six weeks is creating a huge opportunity for backup big man Nerlens Noel, as Marc Berman of the New York Post details. “Mitchell is a big piece on this team,” Noel said. “Everything he brings to the table. I hope he has a speedy recovery. Until then, I’ll definitely man the defense, man the paint. Just make sure I’m playing at a high level for this team.”
Southeast Notes: Martin Brothers, MCW, Hawks, Collins
Caleb Martin and Cody Martin remain out for the Hornets today due to coronavirus-related issues, and starting power forward P.J. Washington has been categorized as doubtful ahead of today’s contest against the Spurs, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
When the Martins and Washington initially were held out Friday, Bonnell was unable to provide any additional info (in another piece) on whether either Martin brother or Washington had actually yielded a positive or inconclusive test for COVID-19 or had entered the league’s contact tracing protocols.
There’s more out of the Southeast:
- After a 19-game injury absence, point guard Michael Carter-Williams provided an ample boost for an injury-plagued Magic squad, per Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel. “I’m always ready to go play the point,” Carter-Williams said. “Coach has me do it in practice sometimes. I’m always staying sharp in that area for moments like this, so we can go out there and not skip a beat and still be successful.”
- The Hawks have struggled to preserve leads in the fourth quarter, having gone just 9-7 this season when they’ve been ahead entering the final frame, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. “I don’t know if it’s always been the fourth,” head coach Lloyd Pierce notes of Atlanta’s recent struggles. “We’re trying to find our rhythm. We’re trying to find guys to find that belief to finish the game.”
- Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel wonders if the struggling Heat should make a full-court press for two-way Hawks power forward John Collins. The power forward position has been problematic for Miami this season, while Collins – who is on an expiring contract – is averaging 18.1 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 1.6 APG for the 11-15 Hawks. He holds a slash line of .543/.391/.853.