Eastern Notes: Bertans, Free Agency, Parker
As we reported earlier this week, it may be difficult for the rival teams to pry Davis Bertans from Washington, as the Wizards are strongly considering keeping the big man through the season and re-signing him this summer.
GM Tommy Sheppard believed that Bertans was “one of the top 3-point shooters in the league last season” when he dealt for the big man this past offseason, Jackson Filyo of NBA.com relays. The team thought that Bertans was someone who would add depth to the frontcourt with his “shooting ability, basketball IQ and work ethic.”
It’s turned out to be one of better under-the-radar moves as Bertans has been pacing the NBA in threes. Over his past six games, the Latvian Laser has 36 triples, which tops the league over that stretch. Washington doesn’t play again until Saturday. Perhaps time away is the only thing that can cool Bertans off.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- One executive tells David Aldridge of The Athletic that the Wizards‘ game plan has increased Bertans’ stock as a trade chip and a 2020 free agent. “The way Washington is using him will certainly increase his value,” a longtime NBA front office executive, currently unaffiliated, said via text. “The [3-pointer] in today’s game is a huge commodity now. I think he is a mix between [Kyle Korver and [Ryan Anderson].”
- One former front office executive (in that same piece) tells Aldridge that Bertans could make a substantial raise on his current $7MM salary in free agency this summer. “He will get between $15M and $20M (per year) this summer.” the former executive said. “Most likely for a two-year deal. Don’t see him getting a four-year deal.” It’s worth noting that one current GM thought that valuation was high, given how few teams will have cap space this summer.
- Hawks forward Jabari Parker has no hard feelings toward the Bulls despite his tenure in Chicago not working out as planned. “I just had to move on, but that never changed about how I feel about my city because I have more street cred than that organization period,” Parker said this week, per Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel wonders if Bam Adebayo is the second star the Heat have been looking for. The center is having his most efficient season as a professional and is a top contender for the Most Improved Player award.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/12/19
Here are Thursday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Celtics have assigned Romeo Langford to the Maine Red Claws, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Carsen Edwards was also sent to the G League.
- The Heat have assigned KZ Okpala to their G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Sky Force, per the team’s Twitter feed. Okpala was Miami’s second-round pick this past offseason.
- The Wolves have assigned Naz Reid to the Iowa Wolves, the team announced via Twitter. The big man has appeared in 2 games for Minnesota this season, seeing a total of four minutes.
Dion Waiters Suspended Again By Heat
The Heat have suspended Dion Waiters again. This time, Waiters will be banned for six games for failure to adhere to team policies, violation of team rules, and continued insubordination, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
The move marks the third suspension on the season for the shooting guard. The first was for insubordination and the second was for an incident on a team plane where Waiters ate an edible and had a medical episode.
Waiters has yet to play for Miami this season, though the team is thriving in his absence. The Heat enter the evening with a record of 18-6—only the Bucks have a better record in the Eastern Conference.
Waiters was set to make $12.1MM this season, but he won’t realize that full amount as a result of his suspensions. He’s on track to earn roughly $12.7MM next season in the final year of his deal.
Mixed Opinions On Kevin Love’s Trade Value
Trade season is nearing and Kevin Love‘s name is again popping up. However, the latest tidbit isn’t particularly favorable to the Cavaliers. Jason Lloyd of The Athletic hears from multiple sources that the team is going to have a difficult time dealing Love because of his massive contract.
Love has three years and roughly $91MM left on his deal after this season and some teams are asking the Cavaliers to attach a first-rounder or other asset to the big man in order to move him. While that stance exists, it is not uniform throughout the league.
Cleveland is seeking a first-rounder in exchange for Love and Lloyd hears from one rival executive that the franchise may end up netting that asset in a trade. It may all depend on how much salary the Cavaliers are willing to take back in addition to the pick.
“I don’t think it’s distracted anything right now,” coach John Beilein said of the trade rumors. “I’ve been hearing that since the time I was hired. We want Kevin to go out there and play his best every single day for the Cleveland Cavaliers.”
Lloyd names the Celtics, Trail Blazers, and Mavericks as teams that make sense as a trade partner based on his conversations with people around the league. Portland might seem like an odd fit with Carmelo Anthony playing well at power forward, but some around the game believe Melo’s game will fade as the season goes along.
The Cavaliers have essentially made “everyone but [Darius Garland]” available. The franchise wants to find way to gain additional first-round picks and would love to flip a player on an expiring deal for one. That’s unlikely to happen even for Tristan Thompson, who is playing some of the best basketball of his career. Trading Love while taking some money back may be Cleveland’s only route to its desired asset.
Pacers Notes: Oladipo, Brogdon, Moore
The Pacers are playing well, but they certainly would love to have Victor Oladipo back on the court. According to head coach Nate McMillan, the former All-Star isn’t close to a return.
“Vic is still rehabbing,” McMillan said, as J. Michael of the Indy Star relays on Twitter. “He’s working hard and I think he’s certainly getting better, getting closer. But he’s still a ways away. The more time he spends rehabbing the closer he gets. But I don’t see him come back anytime in the near future”
Here’s more from Indiana:
- Oladipo’s eventual return will have a major impact on the team’s lineup, Mark Monteith of NBA.com writes. While the guard rotation will certainly shift, the big man rotation may also face changes, as McMillan could opt to play even fewer minutes with both Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner in favor of even more small-ball lineups.
- First-year Pacer Malcolm Brogdon knows his role will be reduced upon Oladipo’s return, as Monteith relays in the same piece. “Once Vic gets back, I’m going to take less shots, everybody is going to have to take less shots, because Vic is a force on offense; he’s going to be our best scorer,” Brogdon said. “You have to understand that and adjust appropriately.”
- Indiana’s G League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, have acquired Ben Moore, Scott Agness of The Athletic tweets. Moore previously had a stint with the Pacers back in the 2017/18 season.
Thunder Sign Kevin Hervey To Two-Way Deal
The Thunder are inking Kevin Hervey to a two-way deal, as Erik Horne of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) and the team has confirmed in a press release. The forward has been with the team’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, for the past two seasons.
The Thunder selected Hervey with the No. 57 overall pick during the 2018 draft. He spent four years at Texas-Arlington during his collegiate career.
The franchise released Devon Hall, who had been utilizing one of Oklahoma City’s two-way deals, earlier today. Hall saw action in just five games this season for the Thunder before being released.
Northwest Notes: Porter, Murray, Wolves, Jazz
Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said he considers expanding Michael Porter Jr.‘s role “everyday”
“I really do,” Malone said (via Mike Singer of The Denver Post). “We met as a staff yesterday and today, this morning prior to shootaround, when you’re 1-4 [over the last five games] and your offense is kind of holding you back, you have to have all options on the table.”
Heading into the night, Porter was averaging just 8.6 minutes per game and has appeared in just 10 contests for Denver.
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Jamal Murray left the Nuggets‘ contest tonight with a torso injury, Singer tweets. The point guard injured himself during a collision with Ben Simmons. There’s no word yet on the severity of the ailment.
- Matt John of Basketball Insiders examines whether the Timberwolves will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. Minnesota would like to add more talent, though its hard to envision the team making a substantial trade without including one of its core pieces.
- The Jazz remain buyers and could certainly use some help after a disappointing start to the 2019/20 campaign, John writes in the same piece. Utah’s bench has struggled and adding depth could be the key to turning around the club’s season.
And-Ones: Melo, Morris, Pistons, Holmes
Carmelo Anthony suited up against the Knicks for the first time as a member of the Trail Blazers tonight and Marcus Morris was excited for the event.
“Man, I enjoy going against ‘Melo,” Morris said prior to the game (via Steve Popper of Newsday). “Growing up he always was my favorite player. Even when I came into the draft, I was like, yeah, I’m going to be like ‘Melo. You know what I’m saying? Over the years it’s been really good to go against him. I watched a lot of film on him.
“’Melo’s been one of the best scorers in this league for a long time. He’s still doing it. I’m very happy for him, very impressed that he could come from not playing for a while and make a great impact like he has.”
Here’s more from around the league:
- In the same piece, Morris spoke about how he couldn’t understand how Anthony went so long without a team. “That’s not disrespecting nobody, but there’s guys in this league that can’t really tie ‘Melo’s shoes — now. So for sure, he should have been in the league. But it always comes full circle and he’s a real one. I always say the real never lose, so he’s back and he’s doing what he did.”
- Pistons draft-and-stash prospect Deividas Sirvydis is impressing overseas, as international journalist Donatas Urbonas tweets. Sirvydis, the No. 37 overall pick in the 2019 draft, has yet to sign his first NBA contract as he continues to play in Lithuania for now.
- Everything is coming together for Richaun Holmes in Sacramento, Jordan Ramirez of NBA.com writes. Holmes, who signed with the Kings this offseason, began the season on the bench but his strong play has made him one of the team’s most reliable players in the starting rotation.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/10/19
Here are Tuesday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Hornets recalled Cody Martin from the Greensboro Swarm, the team announced. The move concluded Martin’s fifth stint in the G League this season.
- The Rockets have sent Isaiah Hartenstein down to the G League, Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston relays (Twitter link). The big man has appeared in eight games for Houston this season.
- The Kings have assigned Wenyen Gabriel to the Stockton Kings, the team announced on its Twitter feed. The power forward has seen action in seven games for Sacramento this season.
- The Magic have sent Melvin Frazier Jr. and Amile Jefferson to the G League, the team’s Twitter feed reveals. Frazier and Jefferson suited up for the Lakeland Magic earlier tonight.
Wizards Interested In Keeping Davis Bertans Long-Term
The Wizards will certainly receive numerous calls on Davis Bertans before the trade deadline, but rival teams will have a tough time prying Bertans from Washington, a source tells Hoops Rumors. Many within the team’s front office are huge fans of Bertans and with the franchise looking to improve sooner than later, the Wizards could opt to keep the 27-year-old power forward with the intention of re-signing him this offseason and having him available for a more competitive 2020/21 campaign.
Bertans is making $7MM in the final season of his contract, 
though he’s likely to see a sizable raise on that figure this offseason given his improved play and the lack of major talent on the market. The big man’s projected market will likely play a role in what direction the team goes at the deadline, though it’s worth noting that the Wizards own Bertans’ Bird rights, so they could go above the salary cap to keep him on the roster.
Washington has a few sizeable contracts coming off its books this offseason (Ian Mahinmi at $15.4MM; C.J. Miles at $8.7MM) but still has roughly $96MM in guaranteed money allocated to just eight players for the 2020/21 campaign. Next summer’s salary cap is expected to come in around $116MM, though that is simply a projection and may not include potential ramifications from the Chinese market.
What could the Wizards net if they traded the Latvian Laser? ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported last month that a first-rounder in return isn’t out of the question. Bertans’ recent run (no player has made more 3-pointers over the last 10 games), as well as his ability to fit seamlessly on nearly any roster, makes it difficult to envision a mere protected first-round pick getting him out of Washington.
Which team would make sense for Bertans if the club dealt him away? Philadelphia could certainly use outside shooting and as I mentioned on NBAMath.com, GM Elton Brand was just one of several Sixers executives in Washington for the team’s recent tilt with the Wizards.
Bertans came to the Wizards via the Spurs’ three-way trade for DeMarre Carroll. San Antonio selected the big man with the No. 42 overall pick back in the 2011 draft, though he didn’t come stateside until the 2016/17 season.
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