Nuggets To Acquire RJ Hampton
The Pelicans will trade 24th pick RJ Hampton to the Nuggets, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. New Orleans will receive a 2023 lottery-protected first-rounder in return, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN (Twitter link).
Denver was among a handful of teams that worked out Hampton during the pre-draft process. The Nuggets also own the 22nd pick, which they used to select forward Zeke Nnaji of Arizona.
Hampton spent last season with the New Zealand Breakers in Australia’s National Basketball League. He appeared in 15 games before leaving in early February and returning to the United States to prepare for the draft.
Timberwolves Trying To Acquire Ricky Rubio
The Timberwolves are talking to the Thunder about a deal to bring Ricky Rubio back to Minnesota, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. The Wolves are offering the 17th pick to Oklahoma City in exchange for Rubio and picks No. 25 and 28.
Minnesota became interested in bringing back Rubio as soon as the trade was announced, sources tell Krawczynski. The Wolves had hoped to pursue Rubio in free agency last summer, but he agreed to a three-year deal with Phoenix.
After learning that he was sent to Oklahoma City, Rubio and his agents at Excel Sports began searching for a deal to a team more likely to be competitive this season. After looking throughout the league and seeing the interest from the Wolves, Rubio became receptive to returning to Minnesota.
He remains close to Wolves head coach Ryan Saunders, who has been looking for another ball-handler to team with D’Angelo Russell. Rubio is also a former teammate of Karl-Anthony Towns, playing with the center during his first two years in the NBA.
Rubio began his career in Minnesota, being selected with the fifth pick in the 2009 draft. He came to the NBA two years later and spent six years with the Wolves before being traded to Utah.
Warriors Draft James Wiseman at No. 2
The Warriors used the second pick in the draft to select former Memphis center James Wiseman.
The selection reflects Golden State’s desire to add size this offseason to compete with the Lakers and the league’s other big teams. Wiseman has the build of a traditional center at 7’1″ and 240 pounds.
Scouts and college basketball fans only got a brief look at Wiseman during his three-game career at Memphis. After being embroiled in an eligibility battle with the NCAA, Wiseman left school in December to focus on preparing for the NBA. He was dominant in his brief time with the Tigers, averaging 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.
Free Agent Roundup: Gallinari, Harris, Millsap
The Heat could be among the teams bidding for free agent forward Danilo Gallinari, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. If Giannis Antetokounmpo accepts a super-max offer from the Bucks, there will be less incentive for Miami to preserve cap room for next summer. If the two-time MVP is off the market, Scotto hears that the Heat will extend Bam Adebayo, try to re-sign Goran Dragic and look to add a forward, possibly Gallinari, in free agency.
Oklahoma City is expected to structure the trade for Al Horford so it can retain Gallinari’s cap hold, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link).
There’s more free agent news to pass along:
- A rumor circulating earlier today that the Mavericks and Thunder were negotiating a sign-and-trade deal involving Gallinari is false, at least so far, tweets Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.
- The Hawks and Hornets were both planning to pursue Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris, but it seems increasingly likely that he will remain in Brooklyn, Scotto notes in the same piece. Charlotte will look for more affordable guards who can give the team veteran leadership and shooting.
- Nuggets forward Paul Millsap could be in line for the Trail Blazers‘ full mid-level exception if he signs in Portland, Scotto adds. The Blazers are expected to make a strong push for the 35-year-old.
Suns Pick Up Option On Cameron Payne
The Suns have picked up their $1.98MM option on guard Cameron Payne, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic.
Payne’s contract for the upcoming season only carries a $25K guarantee. He is expected to be the primary backup to Chris Paul, according to Hollinger, unless Phoenix drafts another point guard tonight.
Payne signed with the Suns at the end of June and appeared in all eight games at the Disney World complex, averaging 10.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in a reserve role. A first-round pick by the Thunder in 2015, Payne also played for the Bulls and Cavaliers. He was in Toronto’s training camp last fall, but was released before the start of the season and didn’t get another NBA opportunity until joining the Suns.
Warriors’ Plan To Host Fans At 50% Capacity Denied
The Warriors‘ proposal to open Chase Center at 50% capacity for the upcoming season has been rejected by San Francisco’s Department of Public Health, according to Trisha Thadani and Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle.
However, the department displayed a willingness to work with the team to have some fans at home games. A letter sent by Health Officer Tomás Aragón states that the Warriors can accommodate 25% of the arena’s capacity, about 4,500 people, if San Francisco returns to California’s “yellow tier” of COVID-19 case rates.
Golden State’s plan would have been the first of its kind in the country and would have included coronavirus testing for all fans who entered the arena. However, it was met with skepticism as California undergoes its fastest rise in virus cases since the start of the pandemic.
“I cannot approve a plan for live audiences at indoor sporting events at this time,” Aragón wrote in his letter to the team. “Indoor sports with spectators are not currently allowed under the State of California’s COVID-19 restrictions. Moreover, and more importantly, San Francisco is experiencing a rapid and significant surge in COVID-19 cases.”
The Warriors were planning to use PCR testing, rather than antigen testing, explained George Rutherford, a professor of epidemiology at UCSF who is advising the team. Golden State was considering sending test kits to season-ticket holders, allowing them to take a sample at home and drop it off at the arena. Rapid-results tests would also have been available outside the Chase Center.
“In the present circumstances, bringing thousands of individuals (and households) together — many of whom would travel from and return to other counties — creates too much risk of widespread transmission in transit and while visiting San Francisco,” Aragón added in the letter. “These risks remain high even with pre-event testing in place given the possibility of false negatives or individuals contracting the virus in the 48 hour-period after they are tested.”
In an email to the Chronicle, Warriors officials stated that they will continue to work with health officials “as we collectively adapt to evolving conditions.”
Goran Dragic Will Explore Market In Free Agency
Goran Dragic would like to return to the Heat, but tells Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link) he plans to listen to other offers when free agency starts Friday.
The veteran point guard was used mainly as a reserve last season, but moved into the starting lineup for the playoffs and played a huge role in helping Miami reach the NBA Finals. He averaged 19.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists in the postseason, showing he still has some value left at age 34.
“For me, the most important thing is that I be respected because I put a lot of hard work in my game, and I think I play hard,” Dragic told Charania. “So, of course, I know Miami wants to bring me back. I’m hoping we can finish this championship run next season, but I know this is part of the business. It’s a lot of options here and we’ll see. I’m open to all suggestions, and from there on, we’re gonna see which one is the best possibility for me and for my family. So, yeah, Miami’s up there. They were great to me and we’ll see. Hopefully, we can make a deal.”
If Dragic wants to remain with the Heat, he may have to accept a one-year contract. Miami is trying to preserve cap space for next summer’s free agent class and is expected to be in the running for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes available. Dragic earned $19.2MM last season in the final year of a five-year extension.
Also in the interview, Dragic discusses his adjustment to being a sixth man during the season and says he has fully recovered from the plantar fascia tear that sidelined him during the NBA Finals.
Lakers Expect To Lose Rajon Rondo In Free Agency
The Lakers are trading for Thunder guard Dennis Schroder because they believe Rajon Rondo will sign elsewhere as a free agent, league sources tell Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link). Rondo’s strong performance in the playoffs likely sets him up for an offer that will exceed L.A.’s budget (Twitter link).
Rondo, 34, played an important role in helping the Lakers capture the NBA title in Orlando. He suffered a fractured right thumb shortly after arriving at the Disney World complex, but was able to return in time for the playoffs, averaging 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists off the bench in 16 games.
The veteran guard is expected to decline his $2.69MM option for next season and test the free agent market. The cross-town Clippers are among the teams believed to be interested in acquiring him.
A four-time All-Star, Rondo has played for six teams in the past six years after spending his first seven seasons in Boston. He originally signed with the Lakers as a free agent in 2018 and then re-signed last summer.
Kevin Porter Jr. Arrested On Firearms Charge
11:52am: The Cavaliers have released a statement on Porter’s arrest: “We are aware of the situation involving Kevin Porter Jr. and are in the process of gathering information. We have spoken with Kevin and will continue to address this privately with him as the related process evolves.”
11:01am: Cavaliers swingman Kevin Porter Jr. faces charges of improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle after being arrested early Sunday morning, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Porter was booked around 7:30am and released three hours later on $4K bond. Further details about the incident were not available.
The team is aware of the arrest, but wants to get more details before issuing a formal statement, Fedor adds.
Porter, 20, was a first-round pick in 2019. He averaged 10.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 50 games as a rookie and is considered part of the Cavaliers’ foundation for the future. He posted a troubling message on social media last month, but the team determined the matter wasn’t serious and he was warned not to do it again.
Trade Moratorium To Be Lifted At Noon ET Monday
The NBA is a little more than 24 hours away from allowing teams to start making trades, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Sources tell Woj that the moratorium will end at 12:00 pm eastern time on Monday, giving teams a small window to complete deals before Wednesday night’s draft.
The league has also established some important dates for the upcoming season, Wojnarowski adds, with opening night set for December 22 as expected (Twitter link). An All-Star break will take place from March 5-10, although no game will be played.
The regular season is projected to end between May 17 and 21 with a play-in tournament to determine seeds seven through 10. The conference semifinals will begin June 7, with the conference finals starting June 22 and the NBA Finals set for July 8-22. The trade deadline hasn’t been determined yet, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).
The play-in tournament must be approved by the Board of Governors, but a source tells Wojnarowski that’s considered a formality (Twitter link). As with the series in Orlando between the Trail Blazers and Grizzlies, the No. 7 and 8 seeds will just need one win to advance, while the ninth and 10th seeds would have to win twice. May 17-21 are the tentative dates for the tournament.
As expected, this year’s salary cap ($109.1MM) and luxury tax figures ($132.6MM) will be maintained for next season (Twitter link). According to Woj’s sources, the early cap and tax projections for future seasons are $112.4MM and $136.6MM for 2021/22, $115.7MM and $140MM for 2022/23 and $119.2MM and $144.9MM for 2023/24 (Twitter link).
In addition, the league and its players union have reached a deal that either side can terminate the Collective Bargaining Agreement after next season or the 2021/22 season, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Both sides already had a mutual option to terminate the CBA after the 2022/23 season.
December 21 will be the last day for players to sign super-max and rookie scale extensions, Marks tweets. That deadline is especially significant in Milwaukee, where the Bucks hope to reach a long-term deal with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Most player and team option decisions throughout the league will have to be made by 5:00 pm ET Thursday, a source tells Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link). A prominent exception appears to be Anthony Davis of the Lakers, who may have to decide on his $28.75MM player option by Monday.