Grizzlies, Brandan Wright Working Toward Buyout
The Grizzlies are working toward a buyout with forward Brandan Wright, Chris Haynes of ESPN tweets. The 30-year-old big man has played the last three season in Memphis but has struggled to stay on the court.
Across the 67 games that he has suited up for the club, Wright has averaged 6.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in just 15.3 minutes of action.
While Wright may not carry with him the clout that some of the other veterans set to hit the buyout market do, he could be a valuable addition for teams interested in frontcourt depth.
A full-fledged breakout never came for Wright but the former lottery pick has shown glimpse of impressive production in the past. He may not have lived up to the $17MM, three-year deal he inked with the Grizz back in 2015 but he can certainly help a contender for cheap if he does ultimately clear waivers.
Thunder, Rockets Emerge As Suitors For Tony Allen
A week after having been shipped out of New Orleans, veteran wing Tony Allen has been waived by the Bulls. If the 36-year-old shooting guard clears waivers on Sunday, TNT’s David Aldridge says the Thunder and Rockets will be among the teams bidding for his services.
While Allen had been used marginally for the Pelicans through the first half of the season, he’s a famously effective perimeter defender, perfect for a Houston team in need of defensive depth on their second unit or a Thunder squad desperate to fill the vacancy left by Andre Roberson.
In 12.4 minutes of action for the Pelicans this season, Allen averaged 4.7 points per game. In 27.0 minutes per game during the 2016/17 campaign with the Grizzlies, however, The Grindfather put forth a respectable 9.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per.
Allen figures to be one of several big name players on the buyout market this season, so committing a roster spot now isn’t without its drawbacks, but Allen’s skill set will be an indisputably enticing one for team’s looking for depth on their bench.
Pelicans Trade Dante Cunningham To Nets
3:47pm: The trade is now official, according to a press release issued by the Nets.
1:30pm: The Pelicans are trading forward Dante Cunningham to the Nets in exchange for Rashad Vaughn, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports tweets.
The 30-year-old veteran on an expiring deal, who had previously requested a trade from New Orleans, will arrive in Brooklyn and plans to stay there. David Aldridge of TNT tweets that the forward does not intend to pursue a buyout from his new team after three and a half seasons with the Pelicans.
In 51 games for the Pels, including 24 starts, Cunningham averaged 5.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. While he may not move the needle much for the Brooklyn franchise at first glance, the Nets staff has already done great things maximizing the value of other veterans at similar stages in their career.
The deal comes hours after a previous Cunningham swap fell through. Earlier today we wrote that the Pistons were engaged with New Orleans but ultimately traded the package of assets reserved for Cunningham to the Grizzlies for forward James Ennis instead.
This is the second time in a week that Vaughn will change teams. After starting the year with the Bucks, the 21-year-old shooting guard played one game for the Nets. Now he’ll join a Pelicans squad desperate for perimeter scoring.
Sixers, Celtics Stand Pat At Deadline
The trade deadline has come and gone and while there’s always the faint possibility that news of other moves leaks out, two Atlantic Division teams seemingly receptive to making moves have opted against any shakeups.
Per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Sixers did not make any deals today. Similarly, Yahoo Sports’ Shams Charania tweets that the Celtics elected to stand pat as well.
Right up until the deadline, it appeared as though the Sixers were in the hunt for a pair of available veterans but didn’t come to terms on either.
Per Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, both Philly and Boston made a strong push for Grizzlies swingman Tyreke Evans but neither deal came through.
Kennedy wrote that Boston and Memphis were in touch in the final minutes leading up to the deadline but a proposed package of two second-rounders and Guerschon Yabusele wasn’t enough to convince Memphis to pull the trigger.
In discussions with Philly previously, the Grizzlies asked for 23-year-old Dario Saric and were shot down.
Evans, of course, is in the midst of a stellar season in Memphis and had drawn considerable trade interest but his injury-riddled history and pending free agency may have limited his value.
The fact that Evans will remain with the Grizz for the duration of the season could imply that the team thinks they’ll be able to retain him as a free agent this summer, Chris Herrington of The Memphis Commercial Appeal says.
Moving away from Evans, another move that Philly looked interested in making but that didn’t eventually pan out was a deal for Hawks two-guard Marco Belinelli.
On Tuesday we wrote that the Hawks had already told the shooting guard that a trade was coming. Nothing, however, appears to have come to fruition. Michael Scotto of The Athletic mentioned that the Sixers were dangling a second-round pick.
The decision not to act at the deadline may well have been the right one for both franchises. Boston, of course, has help coming in the form of Greg Monroe. The free agent big man agreed to join the Celtics but waited until after the deadline in order to sign so that the franchise could retain its flexibility.
Philadelphia, within reach of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, didn’t get an extra shot of veteran support heading into the final stretch of the season but cashing in future assets for short-term gain would have served in stark contrast to the process that’s gotten them to the enviable position that they’re in today.
2018 Free Agent Stock Watch: Washington Wizards
The Wizards made the bold decision to commit max money to three organization grown players long-term and will permanently have their hands full managing their finances as a result. In order to make the strategy work, they’ll need to be responsible with where they spend the rest of their budget.
While the club already projects to dip into the luxury tax this season and next (with over $29MM in guaranteed money tied up in Marcin Gortat and Ian Mahinmi in 2018/19 alone), they’ll get a chance to practice financial restraint this summer with a handful of free agents that they can afford to part ways with if they feel the need to.
Tim Frazier, PG, 27 (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $4.1MM deal in 2016
One season removed from a fantastic stint as a spot starter in New Orleans in 2016/17, Frazier hasn’t had much of an impact since coming over in a draft day trade last June. The Wizards were in need of a reliable backup point guard when they targeted Frazier but seem to have grown comfortable with the idea of Tomas Satoransky handling backup point guard duties in John Wall‘s absence. For that reason, Frazier will probably have to choose between rounding out the club’s rotation as a third-string playmaker or look elsewhere.
Sheldon Mac, SG, 25 (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $1.8MM deal in 2016
A torn Achilles has rendered Mac unable to suit up in 2017/18. He’ll hit restricted free agency in the summer but don’t expect any suitors until he can prove that he’s healthy enough to battle for a rotation spot. That’ll likely have to happen in the G League.
Chris McCullough, PF, 23 (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $3,8MM deal in 2015
The Wizards, to this point, have shown little interested in working McCullough into their rotation. The 23-year-old showed some flashes of promise during his rookie campaign with the Nets in 2015/16 but then again many fringe NBA players have looked half-decent in Brooklyn’s lineup the last few years. If all goes well, McCullough will find another squad to break training camp with next fall. It’s hard to say whether or not there will be much more beyond that.
Jodie Meeks, SG, 30 (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $6.7MM deal in 2017
After several years of struggling to stay on the court, Meeks has shown that he can contribute modestly off the bench. While his player option for 2018/19 comes in at a rather cheap $3.5MM for a player with his experience, don’t be surprised if the veteran elects to return. There may be a team out there willing to give the career .417 three-point shooter more than that on the open market but an argument can be made that Meeks could benefit more in the long run from simply focusing on staying healthy and relevant where he is, while worrying about free agency in 2019.
Mike Scott, PF, 29 (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $1.7MM deal in 2017
The Wizards got a key rotation piece for dirt cheap over the summer and the forward has done nothing but raise his stock over the course of the season. Expect teams to take an interest in the veteran role player with impressive efficiency numbers and the ability to put points on the board. Washington would likely be happy to retain him but will be limited in what they can offer him.
Jason Smith, C, 32 (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $15.7MM deal in 2016
Smith hit free agency at the perfect time back in 2016. This summer, in contrast, teams won’t be so willing to cough up significant money for career reserves with forgettable portfolios. Smith’s stints with the Magic, Knicks and Pelicans hardly justified the contract he signed two summers ago but he’s done even less since arriving in Washington. For that reason, expect him to accept his $5.5MM player option.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Cavaliers Notes: James, Altman, Gilbert, Irving
The Cavaliers have struggled for the better part of 2017/18 and while they do, tensions continue to mount between LeBron James and the franchise’s management, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic writes.
Even before the club’s moribund loss to the Magic on Tuesday, Lloyd pulled the curtain back on the NBA’s most dysfunctional family in the days leading up to the trade deadline.
Here are some highlights lowlights from the worthwhile read:
- The root of the Cavs’ problems, Lloyd says, can be traced back to two key issues that unfolded during the offseason. First and foremost, the club’s decision to part ways with woefully underpaid general manager David Griffin, and secondly, the Kyrie Irving trade that shook the foundation of the roster.
- While James was vocal about his support for Griffin, team owner Dan Gilbert ultimately gave the job to young, in-house executive Koby Altman. Altman, Lloyd claims, is widely regarded as not ready for the task ahead of him.
- The Griffin decision wasn’t the only time the Cavs went against James’ wishes during the offseason. They opted to sign draft-and-stash prospect Cedi Osman rather than pursue James’ preferred target, veteran Jamal Crawford.
- One of the most substantial moves the Cavs made was to deal Irving after his trade request, fearing that his value would decrease if they waited closer to when he hit free agency (in the summer of 2019). James was convinced that he could mend his relationship with the young point guard if only the club held on to him long enough to go through training camp with the team.
- According to Lloyd, James essentially has no relationship with either Gilbert or Altman. Griffin would often consult with LeBron and keep him apprised of major roster decisions, but that’s no longer happening — James was informed of the Irving trade about 20 minutes before word of the agreement leaked.
- Multiple sources confirmed to Lloyd that James “cursed toward at least two team executives” during the now-infamous team meeting that began with players questioning Kevin Love‘s absence from a practice.
MRI Reveals Kristaps Porzingis Has Torn ACL
9:59pm: Results of an MRI have confirmed that Porzingis has torn his ACL, the team’s PR department tweets. He could be out for as long as 12 months, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News tweets.
7:56pm: Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis is scheduled to have an MRI on his left knee, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN writes. The 22-year-old needed to be helped off the court after a dunk in the first half of New York’s Tuesday night contest.
Porzingis remained on the court for a minute after his knee initially buckled but, as Frank Isola of The New York Daily News writes, he was able to put weight on it as he headed toward his MRI.
In his third year, Porzingis has upped his scoring averaged to 22.9 points per game, earning his first career All-Star Game nod in the process.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 2/6/18
Here are the G League moves from around the Association today:
- The Pistons sent recently acquired forward Brice Johnson to their G League affiliate in Grand Rapids, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com tweets. Johnson had previously played 23 games of action with Agua Caliente, the Clippers’ affiliate.
- The Lakers have recalled center Ivica Zubac from South Bay, the team announced in a press release. He has averaged 21.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game during his stints with the affiliate.
- The Cavaliers have brought Ante Zizic back up from a stint with the club’s G League affiliate in Canton, the team announced in a press release. Zizic has seen action in just 12 games with the big league club this year.
- The Bulls assigned Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen to their G League affiliate today, with the intention of recalling them after practice, the team announced in a pair of tweets.
Marco Belinelli ‘On Course’ To Be Traded By Deadline
The Hawks have informed veteran guard Marco Belinelli that he is “on course” to be traded by the Thursday deadline, Marc Stein of The New York Times writes.
At this point, Stein writes, the team is weighing its options as to where exactly to send him.
Earlier this evening, Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal Constitution wrote that Belinelli was held out of Tuesday’s game against the Grizzlies because they didn’t want to risk him getting injured prior to a deal.
Sam Amick of USA Today adds, in his own tweet, that there is no done deal at this point in time but the team is confident enough in its “several options” to sit him.
There’s no clear indication who Atlanta would be most actively engaged with at this point but it’s likely that the club is shopping the 31-year-old to the highest bidder.
In his 11th NBA season, Belinelli is averaging 11.4 points per game off the bench for the rebuilding Hawks, but his ability to get hot off the bench and connect from outside would serve numerous contending teams well.
Belinelli, a .377 career three-point shooter has hit at least two threes in 27 of the 52 games he’s played for Atlanta this season. His expiring $6.6MM contract is palatable, too.
Willie Reed Suspended Six Games For Domestic Incident
6:06pm: The NBA Player’s Association has announced that it will file a grievance on behalf of Reed, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe tweets.
4:26pm: Recently acquired Pistons big man Willie Reed has been suspended by the NBA for six games, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel relays. The incident at hand unfolded in Florida last August.
As we wrote at the time, the NBA built into its latest Collective Bargaining Agreement a new policy for dealing with domestic violence situations such as this one and the punishment will end up costing the big man $65K (h/t ESPN’s Bobby Marks).
While Reed’s wife elected not to press charges at the time, the 27-year-old had an arraignment hearing in October and was given the option to participate in a diversion program. We broke down Winderman’s reporting on the legal proceedings at the time.
Per the press release announcing the league’s six-game suspension, the NBA conducted its own extensive investigation into the matter, as outlined in the new CBA.