Pacific Notes: Paul, Durant, James, Westbrook
Addressing reports that the Suns were willing to trade him in a package to the Nets for Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul took the news like a pro, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets.
Paul knows all about being traded, so he didn’t seem blindsided by the news.
“It’s a business. I’ve seen crazier,” he said. “The way I found out I was traded from Houston. You just show up to work and be a pro day in and day out. Nobody’s exempt from being traded. Find out just like everybody else.”
Coach Monty Williams expressed disappointment that the future Hall of Famer has to deal with these rumors and reports at this stage of his career, Rankin adds in another tweet.
“I don’t think it’s fair when guys have their names thrown out there,” Williams said. “Kind of bothers me, ’cause Chris, his name should never be thrown out there in that way.”
We have more Pacific Division news:
- While they may have struck out for Irving, the Suns are prepared to make another offer to Brooklyn if Kevin Durant becomes available, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets. It’s unknown just what Phoenix would be willing to part with for Durant, but The Arizona Republic’s Jeremy Cluff cobbles up some speculative pieces around the Internet that suggest Deandre Ayton would likely be part of the package.
- LeBron James expressed disappointment that the Lakers were unable to land Irving, he told ESPN’s Michael Wilbon (hat tip to Rachel Nichols). “Definitely disappointed. I can’t sit here and say I’m not disappointed on not being able to land someone…I’ve got great chemistry on the floor with, that can help you win championships,” James said.
- Lakers coach Darvin Ham said that Russell Westbrook just needs to do his work as trade rumors continue to swirl around him, Mark Medina of NBA.com tweets. “This is an unforgiving business in terms of different coverage and in terms of covering scenarios and dealing with rumors and different things happening,” Ham said. “All you can do is put your head down and do the work and try to remain as professional as possible. He’s done that.”
Nets Trade Kyrie Irving To Mavericks
FEBRUARY 6: Despite efforts by the Nets to expand the deal and involve a third team, the trade remains a two-team swap and is now official, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
The Mavericks’ PR department confirms the trade is official in a tweet.
Nets GM Sean Marks issued a statement, Chris Milholen of Nets Daily tweets, saying in part, “We’re excited to add Spencer and Dorian to our roster, while also securing draft compensation that will increase our flexibility moving forward.”
FEBRUARY 5: The Nets and Mavericks have agreed to a trade that will send point guard Kyrie Irving to Dallas, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
According to Charania (Twitter link) and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links), Brooklyn will receive guard Spencer Dinwiddie, forward Dorian Finney-Smith, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2029 second-round pick in the swap. Those draft picks will all be the Mavericks’ own.
The Nets will also send forward Markieff Morris to the Mavs, Charania adds.
News of the agreement between the two teams comes just two days after word broke that Irving had requested a trade out of Brooklyn following failed negotiations on a contract extension. Reports at that time indicated that the All-Star guard had conveyed to the Nets that he planned to leave in free agency if he wasn’t dealt by the February 9 trade deadline.
The Nets wasted little time accommodating Irving’s request, having perhaps grown weary of the drama that has surrounded the 30-year-old since his arrival in Brooklyn in 2019. During those three-and-a-half years, Irving has missed significant time due to injuries, taken personal leaves of absence, refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19 despite a New York City mandate that prevented him from playing in home games, and served a team-issued suspension for promoting an antisemitic film on social media.
On the court, Irving played at his usual high level in 143 total games as a Net, averaging 27.1 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per night with a .489/.396/.909 shooting line in 35.8 minutes per game. However, his and Kevin Durant‘s brilliance didn’t translate to much postseason success — Brooklyn has won just a single playoff series since adding the two stars in 2019.
By trading Irving for a package that includes both veteran players and future draft picks, the Nets – who currently occupy the fourth seed in the East at 32-20 – will set themselves up to remain in contention this year while also securing some assets for the future. Kyrie was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but Dinwiddie is under contract for another season and Finney-Smith’s deal runs all the way through 2025/26 (the final year is a player option).
The Mavs, meanwhile, will get the co-star they wanted for All-NBA guard Luka Doncic and their new-look backcourt should be the NBA’s most dynamic, though the move carries substantial risk. The trade will cost Dallas two of its most reliable rotation players, with Dinwiddie having averaged 17.7 PPG on .455/.405/.821 shooting and Finney-Smith handling key defensive assignments on the wing.
Additionally, while Irving could technically sign a two-year extension with the Mavs anytime before June 30, Sam Amick of The Athletic reported earlier today that Kyrie’s preference is to play out the current season and seek a longer-term maximum-salary contract as a free agent, so Dallas may have to take its chances with the mercurial star this summer. Obviously, the organization will be motivated to make it work with Irving — the front office wouldn’t have paid this price if it expected him to be a rental.
According to Marc Stein (Twitter link), the Mavericks consulted with Doncic before agreeing to trade for Irving, who is said to be “ecstatic” to join forces with Luka in Dallas, per Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Mavs president of basketball operations Nico Harrison, formerly a top Nike executive, has a long-standing relationship with Kyrie, notes Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Both the Mavericks and Nets were already on track to be taxpayers this season, but because Irving ($36.9MM) and Morris ($1.8MM) have a higher combined cap hit than Dinwiddie ($20.2MM) and Finney-Smith ($12.4MM), the move will reduce Brooklyn’s projected end-of-season tax bill by about $26.5MM and increase Dallas’ by nearly $29MM, per Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype (Twitter links).
Irving and Finney-Smith have trade bonuses in their contracts. Irving’s is worth 15% of his remaining salary, while Finney-Smith’s is worth 5%. There has been no indication yet that either player will waive or reduce his bonus.
The Lakers, Clippers, and Suns were also said to have interest in Irving, so the Mavs beat out several Western Conference rivals to land him. According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), the Lakers and Nets had several conversations about a possible deal, but Brooklyn preferred Dallas’ package that included useful present and future pieces — trade talks between the two teams accelerated today, Woj adds.
CBA Early Opt-Out Deadline Extended To March 31
5:22pm: The NBA and NBPA have agreed to extend the early opt-out deadline to March 31, the league’s PR department tweets.
10:59am: The NBA and its players union are expected to extend Wednesday’s early opt-out deadline for the collective bargaining agreement, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski also hears that the league appears willing to back away from its demand for an upper spending limit on payrolls (Twitter link). The players have been strongly opposed to that proposal, which would create a de facto hard cap in place of the current luxury tax system.
According to Wojnarowski, the NBA’s Board of Governors voted Friday to give its labor relations committee the authorization to extend the deadline again, and the league and the National Basketball Players Association appear headed in that direction.
The early opt-out deadline was originally set for December 15, but the two sides agreed to extend it until February 8. The current seven-year CBA will expire after the 2023/24 season, but the league and the players’ union hold a mutual option to terminate the agreement at the end of the current league year, which is June 30.
The extension will give negotiators more time to discuss a potential new deal without the imminent threat of an opt-out. Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press reported last month that another extension appeared likely.
Wojnarowski notes that teams had been hoping for a new agreement prior to this week’s trade deadline so they could have more clarity about the league’s long-term financial structure (Twitter link).
Christian Wood Hopes To Remain With Mavericks
Mavericks big man Christian Wood, who has missed the team’s last eight games with a fractured left thumb, will return to action for Monday’s game in Utah, the team confirmed (via Twitter). The forward/center sustained the injury on January 18 against Atlanta after getting swiped by Hawks forward John Collins.
“That’s when I hurt it the first time,” Wood said, per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “Then I tried to go for a dunk later in the game and I re-hurt it again, making it 10 times worse.”
Wood’s name has popped up in trade rumors — Dallas reportedly tried to include him in the Kyrie Irving deal, which has yet to be finalized. He discussed the rumors with media members, including Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News, during Monday’s shootaround.
When asked what Kidd and Harrison have communicated to him, Wood said they hadn’t.
According to Caplan, Tim Hardaway Jr. also discussed his name coming up in trade rumors. He says he loves being a part of the team and tries to block out the distractions.
“Control what you can control — plain and simple,” Hardaway said. “That’s all I really can say. I don’t really want to elaborate on that. As far as I know, I’m a Dallas Maverick. I’m going to ride with my guys and do whatever I can to compete and do our best to win ballgames while I’m here. Everybody knows I love it here. Everybody knows that, but like I said, control what you can control.”
Heat Open To Dealing Kyle Lowry
While it was previously reported that the Heat weren’t actively shopping Kyle Lowry and a deal was considered unlikely, evidently the team is now open to moving him if it receives an “advantageous” offer, according to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
As Jackson and Chiang point out, Lowry’s list of suitors might be small. In addition to being 36 years old, he is making $28.33MM this season and $29.68MM in 2023/24.
The other issue is Lowry has been battling left knee soreness off and on since December. He had a “minor medical procedure” on the knee in mid-January, which caused him to miss four games, Jackson and Chiang report. He missed Saturday’s game as a result of the issue and plans to meet with a doctor soon.
Lowry, a six-time All-Star and 2019 NBA champion with the Raptors, has seen his production drop off in ’22/23. He’s averaging 12.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 5.3 APG and 1.0 SPG on .396/.333/.855 shooting through 44 games (33.3 MPG).
The Clippers are one team that has expressed interest in the veteran point guard, but others have inquired as well, per Jackson and Chiang.
In addition to Lowry, Miami is “willing to listen to offers on most players” on its roster. One player rival teams have been calling about is Max Strus, who is an impending free agent in the summer, a source tells Jackson and Chiang. The Heat would like to re-sign him, but it might be costly due to luxury tax concerns.
The Herald’s duo suggests the Heat are unlikely to trade away a first-round pick unless they can acquire a “quality starter.” The primary reason for that is the team is always on the lookout for star talent and would prefer to save its draft capital.
The Heat continue to look for frontcourt help and will attempt to unload Dewayne Dedmon‘s $4.7MM contract (his deal is non-guaranteed for ’23/24), Jackson and Chiang add.
Nets Looking To Expand Irving Trade To Include Third Team
The Nets are looking for a third team to fold into the Kyrie Irving trade, which is why it hasn’t been made official yet, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Brooklyn is set to receive guard Spencer Dinwiddie, forward Dorian Finney-Smith, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2029 second-round pick in the swap. Those draft picks will all be the Mavericks’ own.
Marc Stein was first to report (via Twitter) that the Nets were considering trading Dinwiddie to a third team. It’s possible that Finney-Smith could be on the move as well, as he acknowledged in an interview with Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.
According to Stein (Twitter links), the Nets are exploring a deal that would send Dinwiddie and unspecified draft picks to Toronto for Raptors guard Fred VanVleet. The Nets also have interest in forward Pascal Siakam, but the Raptors are reluctant to move the All-NBA forward.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Brian Windhorst stated on The Hoop Collective podcast that the Nets were also intrigued by Raptors forward OG Anunoby, though they were uncertain if they would be able to land him (hat tip to RealGM).
“I still don’t know what the Raptors are going to do,” said Windhorst.
“The Nets are definitely calling the Raptors over the last 24 hours,” replied Zach Lowe.
“If the Nets could flip some of this stuff that they got and pry OG Anunoby out of there, you may have something there with the Nets, but I don’t know if they’re going to be able to,” added Windhorst.
Wojanrowski reports (via Twitter) that several teams are speaking to the Raptors today, including the Nets.
The Irving deal will be finalized on Monday regardless of if a third team is included, notes ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (Twitter link). Irving plans to join the team in Los Angeles for practice on Tuesday and intends to suit up on Wednesday versus the Clippers, so the Mavs need the deal completed by Monday.
Suns Executive Jason Rowley Resigns From Position
Suns president and CEO Jason Rowley has resigned from his position with the franchise, sources tell Baxter Holmes of ESPN.
Rowley had been with the Suns since 2007 and has been the team’s president since 2012. He came under scrutiny following the publication of an ESPN report detailing team owner Robert Sarver‘s history of workplace misconduct in Phoenix.
ESPN’s reporting indicated that other high-level team executives, including Rowley, had also treated employees poorly and engaged in acts of retaliation and intimidation.
Despite those allegations, Rowley reportedly told Suns employees in January that he had no intention of resigning from his role. He issued a statement to ESPN saying that the outlet’s reporting “misrepresented me and others,” adding that he would “never quit on this team and the people who make up this great organization.”
Less than a month later, he has resigned, according to Holmes, though it’s fair to question how voluntary the decision was.
Sarver has sold the Suns to Mat Ishbia and the new owner is expected to formally take control of the franchise this week, so it seems likely that there will be turnover in the upper ranks of the organization – though not necessarily among basketball operations executives – in the near future as Ishbia puts his stamp on the team and looks to distance himself from the Sarver era.
Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo Named Players Of The Week
Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced (via Twitter). It’s the second straight player of the week award for both players.
Lillard, who won for the Western Conference, led Portland to a 3-1 week by averaging 38.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 6.8 APG on .500/.383/.981 shooting in 39.6 MPG. The veteran point guard was recently named an All-Star for the seventh time.
Antetokounmpo, the East’s winner, led Milwaukee to a 3-0 week by averaging 41.0 PPG, 17.3 RPG and 5.7 APG on .585/.231/.649 shooting in 36.0 MPG. He had a 54-point, 18-rebound effort versus the Clippers, plus a 35-point, 15-rebound, 11-assist triple-double against Miami.
Lillard has now been named the West’s player of the week three times this season, while Antetokounmpo has won the Eastern award four times.
According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Mikal Bridges, Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Kawhi Leonard, while Joel Embiid, Markelle Fultz, Darius Garland, Dejounte Murray and Cam Thomas were nominated in the East.
Sixers’ Furkan Korkmaz Reportedly Requests Trade
Sixers wing Furkan Korkmaz has requested a trade and hopes to be moved before Thursday’s deadline, sources tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The 25-year-old told Pompey he would “not confirm nor deny” the trade request.
Korkmaz is in his sixth NBA season, all with Philadelpha. He has only appeared in 25 games for an average of 10.2 minutes per contest — the fewest minutes he’s played since his rookie season. Korkmaz makes $5MM this season and $5.37MM in 2023/24.
According to Pompey’s sources, the Sixers have informed Korkmaz that they will try to include him in a trade.
His contract would almost certainly be viewed as a negative asset due to the guaranteed money he’s owed next season, so if he’s involved in a smaller trade, it would likely be a salary-dump move to help the Sixers dip under the luxury tax line. His contract and lack of playing time has caused his name to pop in trade rumors this season, so it’s not surprising that he hopes to be moved.
As Pompey writes, this is the second time that Korkmaz has requested a trade out of Philadelphia. His previous request came back in ’18/19 due to a lack of playing time. The team declined its third-year option on the former 26th overall pick, but he wound up re-signing with the Sixers after a bump in minutes.
In 281 career games (18.0 MPG), the Turkish wing holds averages of 7.5 PPG and 2.1 RPG on .405/.354/.759 shooting. He’s averaging 3.8 PPG this season while shooting 34.3% from deep.
In another article for The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscriber link), Pompey reports that the Sixers are looking for a “reserve center, a backup point guard, and another shooter.”
Bulls Notes: Trade Deadline, Caruso, Irving, LaVine, White
The 25-27 Bulls find themselves at a crossroads as this Thursday’s trade deadline approaches, but they don’t have any intention of trading away core players, team and league sources tell Jamal Collier of ESPN.
Collier’s report is consistent with what we’ve heard in recent weeks from other Bulls reporters, including K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago and Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Both Johnson and Cowley acknowledged that the team’s stance could change as the trade deadline nears, but with only about 72 hours left for teams to make in-season trades, it sounds like the Bulls haven’t become any more inclined to sell.
Collier does hear from a league source that the Bulls have shown a willingness to listen to inquiries on Alex Caruso, but says Chicago would probably have to be “blown away” by an offer to actually trade the veteran guard, who is the club’s best perimeter defender.
Here’s more on the Bulls:
- With Lonzo Ball‘s availability up in the air for the foreseeable future, Kyrie Irving might have made some sense as a Bulls target from an on-court perspective, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. However, Cowley hears that Irving was never on the team’s radar following his trade request. Russell Westbrook isn’t a trade target for Chicago either, Cowley adds.
- After earning All-Star nods in 2021 and 2022, Zach LaVine isn’t sweating not being named to the team this year, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I didn’t feel like I played at an All-Star level at the beginning of the season. That’s coming back off of injury. I started slow and then started picking it up,” LaVine said. “I am where I’m supposed to be at. I know who I am as a player. I think the league knows that too.”
- As Johnson relays, LaVine added that the Bulls haven’t been good enough to warrant sending two players to the All-Star Game (DeMar DeRozan was named a reserve). “I think bigger picture you’re not worried about All-Star, you’re trying to get your team back in the playoff picture,” LaVine said.
- At one point this fall, it seemed like Coby White might be the odd man out in Chicago’s backcourt, but he has established himself as a consistent rotation piece over the course of the season, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. As Mayberry outlines, the case for hanging onto White and attempting to re-sign him as a restricted free agent is more compelling than it once was, so the Bulls could face a tough decision on the fourth-year guard at the trade deadline if they get a viable trade offer for him.