Alec Burks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Sixers Notes: Burks, Embiid, Injuries, Simmons

July 29th, 2020 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Alec Burks made a strong case for an increased role during the Sixers‘ three scrimmages, writes Derek Bodner of The Athletic. Burks continued his impressive play Tuesday, posting 15 points and seven assists in a loss to the Mavericks.

Burks averaged just 20.2 minutes per night in 11 games after being acquired from the Warriors at the trade deadline. Bodner notes that Burks’ ability to handle the ball gives the Sixers more flexibility in how they use Ben Simmons.

“I think that what we’re seeing is he’s got an innate gift to score. He can create his shots all by himself,” coach Brett Brown said after Tuesday’s game. “I didn’t play Ben in the second half. (Burks) had to assume a lot on that point guard responsibility, given that I didn’t really want to extend Shake’s (Milton) minutes. I thought he did that well and we learned a bunch of things from the minutes that he played.”

There’s more Sixers news to pass along:

Joel Embiid, who is dealing with tightness in his right calf, sat out his second straight scrimmage, Bodner adds in the same piece, but Brown expects the star center to be ready Saturday when the Sixers play their first reseeding game. “I am always sort of receiving news from our medical staff,” Brown said, “but that is my expectation.” Glenn Robinson III, who has a left hip pointer, and Raul Neto, who is experiencing discomfort in his lower back, were also held out of the scrimmage.
Simmons’ switch to power forward has been a hot topic of discussion in Orlando, but he insists he’ll play the same way regardless of position, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. The move was made to keep Milton in the starting lineup, while shifting veteran big man Al Horford to a reserve role. “I haven’t really been looking at the position,” Simmons said. “When I’m put in different situations, I’m able to succeed. These past two (scrimmages), I’ve been doing well. I can always do better. There’s a lot I need to work on. Overall, I’m getting that flow back and I’m feeling really good.”
Bodner and Rich Hofman of The Athletic examine the new starting lineup and assess the Sixers’ chances of making a long playoff run in Orlando.

Warriors Notes: Myers, Durant, Cook, Free Agents

May 16th, 2020 at 5:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

“The Last Dance” documentary series is making an impression around the NBA, particularly with the Warriors, who can identify with the challenges of trying to string together championships, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. One of those challenges is attempting to maintain camaraderie, which became an issue on the way to the 2017/18 title, admits general manager Bob Myers.

“The second time with Kevin (Durant) it felt like, ‘Well, we just did what we were supposed to do, and great job,'” Myers said. “It wasn’t joy. I’m sure a lot of people felt differently. It wasn’t anybody’s fault. I think there’s just a weight to everything. And so I’m sure (the Bulls) felt that weight of everything, weight of relationships.”

Golden State posted 67-15 and 58-24 records and won back-to-back championships during its first two seasons with Durant. But before the quest for a three-peat was derailed by injuries in last year’s Finals, there were frequent reports that Durant was looking to leave the organization and an infamous on-court incident with Draymond Green.

“To be honest, (the documentary) is just confirmation of what I was saying to our team all of last year and 2018,” coach Steve Kerr said. “The whole messaging for the year was based on my experience with Chicago and feeling that level of fatigue (and) emotional toll that had been over the previous four years. … And so watching this now is just a reminder of how difficult it is to sustain that kind of run.”

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Connor Letourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle talked to a few Warriors players who are too young to remember the Michael Jordan era. Several took note of Jordan’s intense leadership style in the documentary, saying it was reminiscent of Green. “When (Jordan) just said he never asked anybody to do anything that he wouldn’t do, that really stuck with me,” Marquese Chriss said. “You want your leader to lead by example, but also be vocal at the same time. It honestly reminded me a bit of Draymond.”
Even though the Warriors dropped to the bottom of the West this season, the team’s culture continues to be a strong selling point with players, observes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III both expressed disappointment over being traded in February, and Quinn Cook said it was important to him to sign with the Warriors in 2017. “When Golden State called, I told my agent, ‘I didn’t care if I never play,” said Cook, now with the Lakers. “I don’t have to play. I just want to be a part of the organization. I want to learn every single day from those guys.’”
Grant Liffman of NBC Sports Bay Area identifies 11 free agents that the Warriors should target, even though they will be over the cap and can only offer minimum contracts and the taxpayer mid-level exception.

Atlantic Notes: Burks, Milton, Williams, Kemba

February 29th, 2020 at 1:40pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Recently-acquired Sixers wing Alec Burks could take on more point guard responsibilities in the wake of Ben Simmons‘ injury. However, the 6’6″ guard is better suited for the shooting guard spot, as Derek Bodner of The Athletic contends.

Burks shoots the ball well of the catch, Bodner adds — the former Warrior made 37.5% of his 96 “no-dribble” attempts while in Golden State.

Here are more notes from the Atlantic Division:

The Sixers appear ready to have confidence in Shake Milton as the point guard replacement for Simmons, Mike Greger of Heavy.com relays. Gregor also details Milton’s rise to the NBA ranks.
Robert Williams is a wild card for the Celtics, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports writes. Williams, who was the no. 27 overall pick in the 2018 draft, is Boston big man with the highest ceiling.
The Celtics are playing it safe with Kemba Walker‘s return to the court, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports. Tuesday against the Cavs is a possible return date, as we detailed earlier today, but Blakely says that the need for caution “cannot be overstated.”

Atlantic Notes: Burks, Wright, Knicks, Simmons

February 21st, 2020 at 1:36pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Sixers head coach Brett Brown explained his plan for Alec Burks, who made his first real impact for Philadelphia on Thursday night against the Nets.

“I’m looking at him is sort of instant offense type off the bench he can be given the ball can be put in pick-and-rolls,” Brown said (via Heavy.com). “I like him more probably in the middle of the floor with the pick and roll than the sideline with the pick-and-roll I think that he can be a primary ball carrier for a while.”

Burks, who came to the Sixers along with Glenn Robinson III at the trade deadline, has spent 44 minutes on the court so far in his Sixers’ career.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Villanova head coach Jay Wright simply isn’t interested in the Knicks‘ coaching job, as Joe Juliano of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays (Twitter link). “I haven’t talked to the Knicks, I’m not going to the Knicks. It’s crazy,” Wright said.
Ben Simmons is probable for the Sixers‘ matchup with Milwaukee on Saturday night, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Simmons missed Thursday’s contest against Brooklyn with back tightness.
Zach Braziller of the New York Post details how interim coach Mike Miller is handling the situation with the Knicks. “If we help these guys and we continue to grow and get better, then we’ve done our job,” Miller said. “All I’m concerned about is bringing value to it and helping these guys. As simple as it sounds, I did that for six years as a D-League [and] G-League coach and I felt good at the end of every season. That’s the direction that I take.”

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, B. Brown, Sixers, Kyrie

February 11th, 2020 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Celtics guard Kemba Walker, who was teammates with Marvin Williams for five seasons in Charlotte, said he spent several weeks trying to convince the veteran forward to join him in Boston when he was eventually bought out by the Hornets, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. After Williams joined the rival Bucks instead, Walker called up his longtime teammate to congratulate him on his new deal.

“He said that he wished he could have gotten to Boston with me, but I’m just happy for him,” the Celtics’ All-Star point guard said, per Himmelsbach. “That’s my guy, man. That’s one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever been around. That’s my vet. I was upset that we didn’t get the chance to get him, but I’m happy for him. He deserves it. He’s been in the league for a very long time. He works hard. He deserves to be on a winning team.”

The Celtics figure to keep a close eye on the buyout market in the coming weeks, though they’ll have to waive a player from their 15-man roster if they want to bring anyone in.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Following last week’s trade deadline, Sixers general manager Elton Brand said he believes in Brett Brown‘s ability to lead the team. However, as Malika Andrews of ESPN writes, the 76ers’ GM stopped short of guaranteeing Brown would keep his job for the rest of the 2019/20 season. “I’m not going to play what-ifs,” Brand said. For what it’s worth, the team was mired in a four-game losing streak at the time of Brand’s comments and is 2-0 since then.
Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer explores what sort of roles newly-acquired bench pieces Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III will play for the Sixers, suggesting that Robinson may end up with a more defined role.
Kyrie Irving‘s right knee sprain will sideline him through the All-Star break, according to Malika Andrew (Twitter link), who says the Nets have ruled out the star point guard for Wednesday’s game vs. Toronto.

Western Notes: Wiggins, Collison, Warriors

February 6th, 2020 at 11:09pm CST by ChrisCrouse

While Andrew Wiggins‘ contract, which has over $94MM left on it after this season, may seem like it is a negative mark on his trade value, that perception is no longer the reality around the league.

The Timberwolves knew they likely had to move Wiggins (for salary-matching purposes) and reached out to other teams about taking on the 24-year-old prior to agreeing to terms with the Warriors.

The former No. 1 pick has improved his value considerably since last season — part of that is him buying into the plan set forth by Minnesota’s player development staff. Wiggins is finding better looks and taking a more cerebral approach to the game this year after putting in substantial work during the offseason.

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

The Timberwolves had spoken to the Mavericks about a Wiggins deal prior to trading him to the Warriors, per a source. It’s unclear how far those talks went.
Former NBA wing Matt Barnes remains close with Darren Collison and says the point guard is “50/50” on returning to the league, as ESPN’s Rachel Nichols tweets. It was previously reported that if Collison returns, he’d prefer to go to the Lakers or Clippers.
The Warriors trading Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III caught the locker room by surprise. “So this was a blindside,” one member of the team told Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Prior to the team’s matchup on Wednesday night, the front office pulled Burks and Robinson from pre-game shootaround, signaling that the duo was going to be traded.

Warriors Trade Alec Burks, Glenn Robinson III To Sixers

February 6th, 2020 at 6:21pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 6: The trade is now official, according to press releases from the Warriors and Sixers. Philadelphia waived Trey Burke in a corresponding move, as we noted earlier. The team created the other roster opening by sending James Ennis to Orlando.

FEBRUARY 5: The Warriors and Sixers have agreed to a trade that will send Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III to Philadelphia, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

According to Charania (Twitter link), the 76ers will send Golden State a trio of second-round picks in the deal. Those three picks are Dallas’ 2020 second-rounder, Denver’s 2021 second-rounder, and Toronto’s 2022 second-rounder, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

The 76ers have a full 15-man roster, so they’ll have to move a pair of players to accommodate the new additions. They’re working on possible trades to clear those roster spots, but will waive two players at the deadline if necessary, tweets Wojnarowski.

No salary-matching is required in the deal, since both Burks and Robinson are on one-year, minimum-salary contracts and can be taken on using the minimum salary exception.

Sixers general manager Elton Brand had been on the lookout for players who could provide the team with reliable depth and outside shooting, and Burks and Robinson should fit nicely. Both wings have played increased roles for the injury-plagued Warriors this season, with Burks averaging a career-best 16.1 PPG with 3.1 APG and a .375 3PT% in 48 games (29.0 MPG), while Robinson has put up a career-high 12.9 PPG and 4.7 RPG on .481/.400/.851 shooting in 48 games (31.6 MPG).

Philadelphia didn’t have expendable players on mid-level-type salaries to make a run at higher-priced trade candidates, so the team made use of its cache of second-round selections to acquire a pair of low-cost veterans. Even after surrendering three future picks in this deal, the Sixers still control a handful of valuable second-round selections, including the Hawks’ and Knicks’ 2020 second-rounders.

As for the Warriors, they’ve rebuilt their own collection of future draft picks in recent weeks, having now acquired a total of four second-rounders for role players Burks, Robinson, and Willie Cauley-Stein. The moves have also helped Golden State inch closer to the tax line for the 2019/20 season.

As Jeff Siegel of Early Bird Rights details (Twitter link), the Dubs are still slightly over the luxury tax threshold, and will move further into tax territory once they sign replacement players. But they’re at the point where they’ve greatly reduced their projected end-of-season bill and could even sneak out of the tax if they move another player or two on Thursday.

The Warriors will have just 11 players under contract once this trade goes through. The team will have to sign at least one player by Saturday, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link), who suggests Marquese Chriss is a strong candidate to be promoted to the 15-man roster. Golden State will subsequently have to add two more players to get to the NBA-mandated minimum of 14 later this month.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Warriors Expected To Trade Alec Burks, Glenn Robinson III

February 5th, 2020 at 6:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III won’t play for the Warriors in tonight’s game at Brooklyn in anticipation of possible trades before tomorrow’s deadline, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times.

A trade involving Burks is “imminent,” according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link), who hears the team is closing in on a Robinson deal as well (Twitter link).

Both players have been the subject of trade rumors in recent weeks, with the Mavericks among the teams interested in Burks. Both signed one-year, minimum-salary ($1,620,564) contracts in free agency last summer, so salary matching won’t be a concern.

Burks has provided a scoring boost for the injury-depleted Warriors, averaging a career-best 16.1 PPG through 48 games while shooting 37.5% from beyond the arc. Robinson has been a full-time starter and is averaging 12.9 points per night.

Golden State guard D’Angelo Russell, who has also been mentioned prominently in trade rumors, is playing tonight, Stein tweets.

Warriors Notes: Trades, Russell, Looney

February 4th, 2020 at 7:55pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Draymond Green admits that the vibe in the locker room in Golden State is different this year because of the trade deadline. There’s a bit of angst among the Warriors‘ players, as he told Hoops Rumors and other media members recently.

“It’s not something that we focus on but we’re all realistic,” Green said. “We understand this business and what could possibly happen.”

D’Angelo Russell, who is being pursued by the Timberwolves, and Alec Burks, who has drawn interest from the Mavericks, are among the Warriors who could be dealt prior to the trade deadline. Here’s more from Golden State:

Russell hears the trade chatter and isn’t letting it faze him, as Anthony Slater of The Athletic relays. “It bothered me when we were further away from [the deadline],” Russell said. “But when we’re closer to it really happening, I’m numb to it. I’m just expecting a phone call. Let me know. … I’m just ready for whatever happens.”
The Warriors turned down a Kevin Knox-based package for Russell from the Knicks, according to Brandon Robinson of Heavy.com (Twitter link). Golden State would have wanted Mitchell Robinson and a future unprotected first-rounder for the former All-Star.
Kevon Looney, who returned to the court on the Warriors’ current road trip, says he just wants to “get back to feeling like an athlete again” after an injury-plagued season, as Slater relays in a separate piece. While he could be traded before Thursday, Looney hopes to be part of Golden State’s future and prove that he’s worth the three-year, $15MM contract that he inked during the offseason. “You get paid and you want to prove your worth,” Looney said. “You want to show the team they made a smart investment in you.”

Trade Rumors: Wolves, Wizards, Kennard, Valentine, Burks, More

February 4th, 2020 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves forward Robert Covington has been one of the most-discussed trade candidates leading up to this year’s deadline, and looks like one of the likeliest players to be on the move. While star teammate Karl-Anthony Towns will understand if Covington is dealt, he admitted in a conversation with Sam Amick of The Athletic and Chris Hine of The Star Tribune that he’s not thrilled by the idea.

“I think it’s very obvious he’s my best friend on the team, so it would be very difficult if something like that was going to happen,” Towns said of Covington. “But like with Zach LaVine (traded from the Timberwolves to Chicago in 2017) , you know this is a business. So like I said, I’m the one who just plays the game. I don’t get paid to make rosters and stuff like that.”

As Amick and Hine note, Towns said it’s not his job to make roster decisions and expressed confidence in Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas to make those calls. Still, given how aggressively the front office has pursued D’Angelo Russell, one of Towns’ best friends, it’ll be interesting to see if the team is willing to part with Covington – another one of KAT’s good friends – if there’s no guarantee that doing so will land D-Lo in Minnesota.

“I don’t get paid to make those decisions,” the Timberwolves’ franchise player said. “Those are tough decisions, but here’s to hoping that I see Cov on Friday, I guess. … He’s a great guy, a great dude. He’s a great player. He’s helped me tremendously and he’s continuing to help me every day. He just gives me such comfort out there.”

Here are more trade rumors from around the NBA:

As first referenced by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Wizards have expressed interest in Cavaliers big man Tristan Thompson, confirms Candace Buckner of The Washington Post (via Twitter). If the Wizards were to make a move for Thompson, it would be with an eye toward the future, since they’d hold his Bird rights, Buckner notes.
Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press confirms that that the Pistons are open to moving Luke Kennard if the price is right. However, in the wake of rumors that the Suns are discussing a trade for the third-year sharpshooter, Ellis reports that no deal appears imminent and that Detroit isn’t worried about the possible price tag on a Kennard extension if he remains with the Pistons.
Two rival executives view the Sixers and Grizzlies as possible landing spots for Bulls trade candidate Denzel Valentine, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.
The Mavericks have real interest in Warriors guard Alec Burks, a source tells Chris Crouse of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link). Dallas and Golden State have already made one trade this season, with Willie Cauley-Stein sent to the Mavs last month.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski takes a look at the trade talks involving the Timberwolves, Warriors, Rockets, and Hawks, with the Wolves trying to orchestrate a multi-team deal that would send D’Angelo Russell to Minnesota. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer had details earlier on those discussions, with both Woj and O’Connor agreeing that there’s still a gulf between Minnesota and Golden State.