Paul George To Replace DeMarcus Cousins In All-Star Game
Thunder forward Paul George will replace DeMarcus Cousins in the All-Star Game, the league office announced. He will be part of the team captained by LeBron James.
This is the third straight All-Star appearance for George and the fifth of his career. He is averaging 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 45 games with the Thunder.
Under league rules, when an All-Star is injured, as Cousins was with a season-ending rupture to his left Achilles, commissioner Adam Silver will select a replacement from the same conference. George had the most points among players who weren’t chosen as reserves this week in a vote by coaches.
George is in his first season with the Thunder after being acquired from the Pacers in a July trade. He is expected to opt out of a $20.7MM salary for next season and test the market in free agency.
Suns Plan To Be Aggressive In Free Agency
Suns GM Ryan McDonough has been encouraged by his team’s progress and is planning to make a strong push for free agents this summer, writes Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic.
McDonough hopes to use cap space and future assets to upgrade the talent level for next season, saying, “The team is ready.” He cites Devin Booker‘s rise to stardom and the improvement of T.J. Warren, which gives the team a solid foundation.
“There are certain core pieces that are starting to solidify,” McDonough said. “I think we’d be foolish or naïve to wait forever or be overly patient. We’ve been, I think, relatively disciplined with contracts we’ve given out in terms of length and dollars, but yeah, we’re planning on being one of five of six teams with a decent amount of cap space, and we’ll see if we can improve the team.”
The Suns will enter free agency with about $20MM to spend, assuming they don’t re-sign center Alex Len, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the team decided not to extend his rookie contract. More cap room could be created by trading veteran center Tyson Chandler, who is under contract for more than $13.5MM next season, and swingman Jared Dudley, who will make $9.53MM.
Bordow lists several potential targets for the Suns, including restricted free agents Clint Capela, Aaron Gordon, Jusuf Nurkic, Elfrid Payton and Marcus Smart, unrestricted free agents Derrick Favors and Tyreke Evans and potentially unrestricted free agents Nikola Mirotic [team option] and Enes Kanter [player option].
The Suns are also in good shape to make a move on draft night, with the potential for three first-rounders. They have their own pick, which is currently at No. 5 in our Reverse Standings, Milwaukee’s selection from the Eric Bledsoe deal, which conveys between No. 11 and 16 and is now 16th, and Miami’s pick, which is top seven protected and is currently at No. 22.
“One of the things we’re excited about in this draft is if all the players we expect to declare are in, I think the strength of the draft is where we can use some help, at the one and the five primarily,” he said. “We’re kind of searching for answers long-term at those positions.”
The potential to draft a point guard makes it less likely the Suns will try to acquire Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, who has been linked to Phoenix in trade rumors, Bordow adds. Walker is 27 and has an expiring contract after next season, so he may not fit the Suns’ timeline. The team also is reluctant to make any moves that will reduce its cap space for this summer.
“I think for us to significantly cut into that and take us out of the free-agent market or make us less of a player in free agency, we would have to take a really good player coming back in return that fits with our young core,” McDonough said. “When I say young core, I don’t necessarily mean a guy 20 or 21 years old, but not a guy who’s in their 30s and closer to the end of their career than toward the beginning or the middle.”
Central Notes: Thomas, Wade, Brown, R. Jackson
Cavaliers guard Isaiah Thomas insists there are no hard feelings between him and Kevin Love after an emotionally charged team meeting this week, relays Tom Withers of The Associated Press. There were reports that teammates were questioning Love’s motives for leaving the arena with an illness during last Saturday’s loss to the Thunder. However, Thomas says he just wanted to know why Love didn’t stick around, and didn’t pursue the issue any further.
“I didn’t call him out,” Thomas said. “I asked him why wasn’t he at the game, supporting his teammates. And then after the game, I didn’t ask him because he wasn’t there. So I was seeing where he was. So I didn’t call him out any. So those reports that whoever is saying that, there’s no bad blood between me and him. We go back to fifth and sixth grade. I asked him a question where he was and it was never clarified. And that’s all it was.”
There’s more news from the Central Division:
- Dwyane Wade is taking a leave of absence from the Cavaliers to mourn the death of his agent and “father figure,” Henry Thomas, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Wade posted a tribute to Thomas on Instagram, outlining how much Thomas meant to him over the past 15 years. Wade missed Friday’s game with the Pacers, and the Cavs aren’t sure when he will return. Coach Tyronn Lue and GM Koby Altman told him to “take his time,” according to Fedor.
- The Bucks are standing behind rookie guard Sterling Brown after he was arrested early Friday morning, reports Ashley Luthern of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Brown faces a tentative misdemeanor charge of resisting or obstructing an officer and was tased in the incident, according to arrest records. “I am aware of the situation and we do support Sterling completely,” said interim coach Joe Prunty. “We’re confident that it will be resolved quickly.” Meeting with reporters before Friday’s game, Brown called it ” a personal issue I’m dealing with right now” and declined to provide any details.
- Injured Pistons guard Reggie Jackson is out of a walking boot and is making progress in his return from a sprained right ankle, according to Rod Beard of The Detroit News. He is expected to resume basketball activities in about two weeks and return to the court after the All-Star break.
Southwest Notes: Mavericks, Leonard, Green, Grizzlies
The Mavericks remain willing to take on salary in any deal as long as they get draft picks for their troubles, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Dallas has about $13MM in available cap room, and the quality of the picks they ask for will rise according to how much salary they absorb. The Mavs were rumored to be a potential third team to help complete a George Hill trade to Cleveland, with a Sacramento second-rounder coming to Dallas, but Sefko dismisses that as unlikely.
He identifies Harrison Barnes, Dennis Smith Jr. and Dirk Nowitzki as the only untouchables on the Mavericks’ roster, but adds that it would take an extraordinary offer to get J.J. Barea, Devin Harris or Wesley Matthews. Sefko notes that Dallas feels a sense of loyalty to its veteran players and speculates that another organization might have waived Harris before his contract became fully guaranteed earlier this month.
The Mavs, who rank fourth in our Reverse Standings, are counting on a high lottery pick to add another building block for the future. They would like to acquire a second pick and are hoping to find a center in the draft.
Sefko adds that Josh McRoberts, who has a $6MM expiring contract, is being made available in trades, but Dallas plans to let him play out the season if no deal is reached. The team is hoping to re-sign Seth Curry, Salah Mejri and Yogi Ferrell when they all hit free agency this summer.
There’s more tonight from the Southwest Division:
- The tension between Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs over his injury is “legit,” a source tells Ken Berger of Bleacher Report. GM R.C. Buford has denied any rift with Leonard, but both sides are frustrated over his long recovery time from right quadriceps tendinopathy. The same source says the Spurs have a history of being reluctant to get second opinions from doctors outside the organization. Despite the hard feelings, a rival GM says San Antonio hasn’t given any consideration to trading Leonard.
- The Rockets‘ return to full health has cost Gerald Green his spot in the rotation, notes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Green, who signed with the team in late December, averaged 15.6 points in 10 games while some key players were sidelined with injuries. “I can’t upset five guys to appease one,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I’d rather have one guy kind of out of it and four happy. I’ve got to keep a core that knows about their minutes. Now, whenever I can, I’ll play him. I won’t hesitate to play him. If somebody’s hurt or sick, he’ll play. Or if I can find time, I will.”
- The Grizzlies are already making moves with next season in mind, writes Chris Herrington of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Memphis is giving more minutes to younger players and letting veterans rest longer after injuries. The team plans to explore the trade market for Tyreke Evans and other players on expiring contracts before the February 8 deadline.
Atlantic Notes: Williams, Hayward, Lee, Raptors
Lou Williams seemed like a reasonable target for the Celtics a few weeks ago, but his recent scoring surge and the Clippers’ rise in the Western Conference standings has put him out of their reach, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. Williams is posting career-best numbers at age 31, averaging 23.3 points per game and shooting better than 40% on 3-pointers. L.A. has climbed back to .500 after a slow start and is just a half-game behind Denver for the final playoff spot.
The Celtics are hoping to find additional scoring punch to make up for the loss of Gordon Hayward, who suffered a devastating ankle injury on opening night. With Williams out of the picture, Blakely suggests the Grizzlies’ Tyreke Evans might be able to provide short-term help in Boston.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Hayward continues to make progress and could begin traveling with the Celtics on a regular basis in March, Blakely adds in a separate story. He’s with the team on its western swing and will remain in California after tonight’s game to get a change of scenery as he recovers. The team wants to make sure Hayward can handle rehab work without an ultra-gravity machine before he becomes a regular on road trips. Coach Brad Stevens cautioned that Hayward has “a long way to go” before he can think about playing again.
- After a decade in the league, Knicks guard Courtney Lee isn’t easily affected by trade rumors, relays Anthony Rieber of Newsday. Lee is scoring a career-best 13.7 points per game, but there have been whispers that New York may send him to a contender before next month’s trade deadline. “I’ve been in this league 10 years, been traded a couple times,” Lee said. “It’s nothing new. Only thing you can do is control what you can control, show up, be professional, do your work, go hard and leave it all out on the floor and whatever happens happens. I understand a lot about this NBA. It’s a business first and foremost. It comes with the territory, so I definitely understand.”
- The Raptors have a legitimate chance to land the top seed in the East, but they still have problems that might not be fixable before the trade deadline, according to Michael Grange of SportsNet. Toronto ranks 26th in the league in 3-point shooting percentage, Norman Powell has nearly fallen out of the rotation and the offense relies on DeMar DeRozan as much as ever. An extra shooter or two would help, but Grange expects the team to focus on the players already on the roster rather than go after a short-term addition.
LeBron Upset Cavs Didn’t Add George, Bledsoe?
Amid all the problems plaguing the Cavaliers this month, one underlying issue is LeBron James‘ frustration with the front office over not upgrading the roster, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Appearing on The Lowe Post podcast with ESPN’s Zach Lowe, Windhorst said James saw that the Cavs had a chance to land Paul George and Eric Bledsoe and was angry when both players ended up elsewhere.
Cleveland reportedly came close to acquiring George in a three-team trade shortly before the Pacers shipped him to the Thunder in early July. A deal was in place to trade Kevin Love to Denver in exchange for Gary Harris and the No. 13 pick, which the Cavaliers would have sent to Indiana to get George. Pacers president Kevin Pritchard had second thoughts about the trade and backed out before it was finalized.
The Cavaliers were also rumored to have interest in Bledsoe, who was among James’ summer workout partners and shares an agent in Rich Paul. Instead the Suns sent him to Milwaukee in exchange for little-used Greg Monroe and two draft picks.
“I’m sure if [Cavaliers owner] Dan Gilbert would ever speak freely, he probably never will, but he would say, ‘Well, I needed LeBron to commit past this year if I was going to trade, and LeBron wouldn’t commit, so therefore it’s LeBron’s fault this didn’t happen,'” Windhorst said. “Everybody’s going to have their own story. I’m just telling you that LeBron is there and he’s like, ‘We could have had Eric Bledsoe and Paul George, and instead we have a draft pick who I’m never going to meet [Brooklyn’s unprotected first-rounder] — Well, I don’t know about that, but I’m not meeting him this year — we have Isaiah Thomas, who is very clearly hampered and we have Jae Crowder, who’s having the worst year of his career.”
This offseason was the first for rookie GM Koby Altman, who was hired to replace David Griffin in late July. James had been a vocal defender of Griffin and questioned why the team refused to give him a new contract last season.
Nuggets Notes: Jokic, Hernangomez, Mudiay, Nurkic
The Nuggets will face a crucial decision with third-year center Nikola Jokic after this season, and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports examines the possibilities. Denver has a team option to keep Jokic for the minimum salary of a little more than $1.6MM next season, but that would make him an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019. The Nuggets could choose to decline that option, making him a restricted free agent this summer with Denver being able to match any offers. Feldman estimates Jokic could get about $109MM [about $27MM annually] over four years in restricted free agency or $146MM over five years [about $29MM annually] in an offer from the Nuggets.
There are benefits to keeping Jokic on a minimum salary for another year with more than $110MM already committed for 12 players next season. Giving Jokic a max deal for 2018/19 could put the team so far into the luxury tax that it couldn’t escape by trading Kenneth Faried or Mason Plumlee. Opt-out decisions by Wilson Chandler [more than $12.8MM for next season] or Darrell Arthur [nearly $7.5MM] could help ease the tax burden, but neither is certain to do that.
There’s more today out of Denver:
- After being slowed by illness for much of the season, Juan Hernangomez is healthy and ready to contribute, relays Gina Mizell of The Denver Post. The second-year center contracted mononucleosis in October and was available for just two of the season’s first 12 games. He was sidelined by the flu in late December and has appeared in only 18 games so far. “I said to Coach [Michael Malone], ‘I’m ready if you need me,’” Hernangomez said. “I don’t say ‘I need to play.’ Of course I want to play. But I don’t [put] pressure on him, because he’s the coach and he makes the decisions. I just tell him I’m ready, in any case, and I’m ready to bring my energy.”
- The Nuggets need to admit Emmanuel Mudiay was a failed draft pick and find a veteran to help them reach the playoffs, contends Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post. The seventh pick in the 2015 draft, Mudiay has struggled with his shot since coming to Denver. Kizsla suggests Sacramento’s George Hill as an option, although the Kings would have to be persuaded to take Faried’s contract in return, or possibly Orlando’s D.J. Augustin as a lower-cost option.
- Jusuf Nurkic made his first trip back to Denver this week since being traded to Portland last year and wasn’t eager to reminisce, Mizell writes in a separate story. Nurkic said he has “no relationship” with Malone. “Everybody knows why we didn’t work [in Denver],” Nurkic said. “To be honest, I’m happy I’m here. The story’s over. I have a new story, and I’m really excited where I am.”
Southeast Notes: Whiteside, Heat, Howard, Wall
Heat center Hassan Whiteside believes his team’s lack of national exposure contributed to him being overlooked for the All-Star Game, relays Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Whiteside is having a solid season, averaging 14.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per night, and the Heat are fourth in the East at 27-20, but Kristaps Porzingis, Kevin Love and Al Horford were selected ahead of him as reserve frontcourt players.
“You know, it’s confusing,” Whiteside said. “I get confused about it sometimes. Is it about stats? Or is it about winning?”
Of the 15 teams with the league’s best records, the Heat were the only ones not to have an All-Star. Whiteside suggested it’s because the team has barely appeared on national television. TNT hasn’t televised a single Miami game this season, while ESPN has shown just one, with another scheduled broadcast bumped for a Celtics-Timberwolves contest.
- The Heat have taken a creative approach to getting maximum value out of their two-way players, Jackson adds in a separate story. Both are close to their NBA limit, with nine days left for Derrick Jones and six for Derrick Walton. Miami is conserving their time by not having them travel with the team on the flight home from Houston after Monday’s game and not having them at practice today. All two-way players will be eligible to join their teams after their G League season [or playoff run] is over, even if they have used all 45 days. For Jones and Walton, that will be March 24, unless Sioux Falls makes the postseason.
- Gambling on Dwight Howard has turned out to be a good move, Hornets coach Steve Clifford tells Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Howard’s problems with free throws and turnovers haven’t gone away, but his coach contends the 32-year-old center has made a difference by still being a dominant rebounder and rim protector. “This might be his best [season] since his second year in Houston,” Clifford said.
- Mavericks guard J.J. Barea is getting a strong reaction to his negative comments about John Wall, relays Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. After the Wizards lost Monday in Dallas, Barea told reporters he doesn’t believe Wall is liked by his teammates. “I’ve never had a teammate say he didn’t like me,” Wall said to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post (Twitter link). “If it’s true, nobody would be man enough to say it to me so I don’t believe it. … I don’t let that affect me.”
Northwest Notes: Gobert, Jazz, Burke, Malone
Health concerns regarding Rudy Gobert will remain with the Jazz for the rest of the season, writes Brad Rock of The Deseret News. Gobert, who has missed 26 games this season, returned to the lineup with 23 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks Friday against the Knicks and followed that with 16 points, seven rebounds and three blocks Saturday against the Clippers. Gobert, who is playing limited minutes, is coming off a sprained PCL in his left knee and a bone bruise in his tibia.
“I just try to stay present and deal with those things as they present themselves,” coach Quin Snyder said about Gobert’s health concerns. Utah is four and a half games out of a playoff spot and will need its Defensive Player of the Year candidate to make a run at the postseason.
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- The Jazz may be in the market for a stretch four before the trade deadline, tweets Spencer Checketts of 1280 Sports in Utah. “I knew when we traded [Trey Lyles] we’d be looking for a 6-10 player who can knock down 40% of his threes,” said GM Dennis Lindsey, “and sure enough, that’s what we are currently looking for right now.”
- Knicks guard Trey Burke, who was considered a bust in Utah, admits he wasn’t fully focused on basketball early in his career, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. Burke spent three seasons with the Jazz before being traded for a second-round pick in 2016. “I do feel I did a great job my rookie season,” he said. “Second year, they drafted another point guard [Dante Exum] — which kind of messed with my mind. It played with me a little bit. That’s where it went wrong. My rookie season the coach [Tyrone Corbin] gets fired. Going into the second year, it’s a whole new coaching staff to get used to. Sometimes it don’t work out.’’
- Nuggets coach Michael Malone promised “changes” after Friday’s loss to Phoenix, and Gina Mizell of The Denver Post offers some ideas of what they could be. Short of a trade, Denver has a few options to shake up a team that has gone 2-6 in its last eight games. She suggests removing Wilson Chandler from the starting lineup, switching Will Barton back to shooting guard, giving Kenneth Faried another shot at the rotation and giving more minutes to Malik Beasley.
Weekly Mailbag: 1/15/18 – 1/21/18
We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
Do you think Damian Lillard gets traded from Portland? If so, do you think a team like the Knicks would be a great fit? — Anthony Lodestro, via Twitter
Breaking up their high-priced backcourt would be the easiest solution to fixing the Trail Blazers’ financial problems, but there’s not an obvious deal that helps them improve. Lillard and C.J. McCollum are the team’s best players, but they eat up a lot of cap room over the next three seasons. Both are under contract through 2020/21, with Lillard owed more than $89.4MM and McCollum due more than $82.67MM. The Knicks love stars and certainly have a need for a player like Lillard. First-round pick Frank Ntilikina is only 19 and isn’t ready to take over as the starting point guard in New York. The Knicks have been linked to Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, but if Lillard becomes available, they will definitely make a phone call to Portland.
Can the Miami Heat offload some of the contracts they signed guys to this past offseason? — Jim Meehan, via Twitter
All the contracts are long-term, so they won’t be easy to move, and that probably isn’t the Heat’s strategy. Dion Waiters won’t be traded, of course, because he’s expected to have surgery on his left ankle and miss the rest of the season. Kelly Olynyk and James Johnson have been important cogs in helping Miami compile the fourth-best record in the East, and Josh Richardson is viewed as the team’s small forward of the future. None of them really affects the salary cap all that much, with Johnson holding the richest deal for this season at a little less than $14MM. ESPN’s Zach Lowe recently suggested that if the Heat decide to gamble, their best trade offer would involve Hassan Whiteside and Justise Winslow, who could be part of a package for DeAndre Jordan or DeMarcus Cousins. But don’t expect the offseason signees to leave Miami any time soon.
What are some trade deadline possibilities for the Mavericks? What about trading Wesley Matthews, who has had a nice rebound season, to Denver for Kenneth Faried and Will Barton [expiring contract] to make salaries line up? Matthews and Faried are both controlled for another year. — Beauen Bogner
Faried could definitely use a change of scenery, as he’s barely being used in Denver right now. He’s only 28 and has a reasonable contract at a little more than $12.9MM this season and $13.7MM next year. Adding another wing player may not be the priority for the Nuggets, though, when then need an experienced point guard and a power forward to fill in for Paul Millsap until he returns from wrist surgery. And the Mavericks are probably looking for someone younger than Faried as they continue the rebuilding process. It’s a good trade suggestion, but both franchises figure to have other options.