Moving Siakam Could Be Tricky Proposition For Raptors
The Raptors pulled a surprise by swinging a major trade before January, shipping OG Anunoby to the Knicks. It could be much tougher for them to deal their other starting forward, Pascal Siakam, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article.
Siakam is headed to unrestricted free agency unless he signs an extension. While Toronto could sign Siakam to a four-year extension — which would make him ineligible to be dealt this season — an acquiring team could only ink him to a two-year deal prior to free agency.
Siakam is unlikely to agree to a two-year extension, according to Stein, which means the Raptors would be hard-pressed to acquire multiple quality assets for a player who could wind up being a half-season rental.
As previously reported, the Mavericks, Hawks, Pacers and Kings have been mentioned as potential landing spots for Siakam. However, Stein hears that Dallas’ interest is somewhat overstated. While the Mavs are in the market for a power forward, he gets the sense that Siakam is not their top target.
The Pistons and Grizzlies could also eventually be in the mix, according to Stein.
Detroit could try to convince Siakam to stick around and join the team’s young core, highlighted by Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren; Memphis could try to sell Siakam on a future with Ja Morant feeding him the ball, though it’s questionable whether a Siakam-Jaren Jackson Jr. frontcourt would work.
As for Anunoby, Stein points out that Sam Rose — son of Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose — is one of his reps. So, New York presumably has a very good idea what it will take to re-sign Anunoby, who is expected to decline his player option this summer and enter free agency. It’s unlikely the Knicks would have been willing to give up Immanuel Quickley, who drew interest from other teams, unless they had a strong feeling Anunoby would re-sign, Stein writes.
The Knicks also retained all the first-round draft assets and the contract of Evan Fournier that includes a club option for next season. However, early indications are that New York won’t engage in an all-out pursuit of Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Stein adds.
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Road Trip, Trade Talk, Melton
Reigning Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid will be back in action on Tuesday.
Embiid is ready to go after sitting out the last four games due to a sprained right ankle, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Philadelphia faces the Bulls, who defeated the Sixers in Chicago 105-92 on Saturday. The 76ers play six of their next seven games at home.
Embiid is averaging a league-high 35.0 points to go along with 11.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game this season.
We have more on the Sixers:
- They went 2-2 on their road trip without Embiid. Nicolas Batum returned Saturday after missing five games with a strained right hamstring. The absences of those two players led to extended minutes for Paul Reed, Marcus Morris and Danuel House Jr. “This was a good road trip for us,” Tobias Harris told Pompey. “Two-and-two, to finish out with kind of a mini-identity to this group without playing with the big fella. … We continue to get guys back in the rotation as well, so different variables. But at the end of the day, overall on the road trip, I thought we made a lot of progress. We grew and developed as a team through those games.”
- In the aftermath of the Knicks acquiring OG Anunoby, coach Nick Nurse was asked if the Sixers needed to make a move before the trade deadline. Philadelphia already made a major trade by shipping James Harden to Los Angeles but Nurse isn’t averse to another alteration to the roster, according to Pompey. “I think you always have to be in the mindset to upgrade at all times,” Nurse said. “Whether I was coaching the Iowa Energy, or coaching the Sixers, there’s always places. Can you improve 10 through 12? Can you improve eight through 10? Can you improve three through five? You are always trying to do that or you are getting assets so you can do something else.”
- De’Anthony Melton won’t play on Tuesday due to lumbar spine soreness, Pompey tweets.
- In case you missed it, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski recently reported the Sixers are unlikely to make another major move this season. The Sixers could have more cap space than any other team in 2024 if they don’t add long-term salary this season.
Knicks Waive Two-Way Player Dmytro Skapintsev
7:25pm: Skapintsev has been waived, the team’s PR department tweets.
5:13pm: The Knicks are waiving two-way player Dmytro Skapintsev, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets.
The Ukranian big man made two brief NBA appearances after being signed to the two-way deal on Dec. 23. At that time, New York waived Jaylen Martin to make room for him.
Skapintsez also played in 13 Showcase Cup games with the Westchester Knicks this season, averaging 5.9 points and 4.3. rebounds, prior to signing the two-way deal. It’s likely he’ll end up returning to the Knicks’ G League squad.
The Knicks’ blockbuster deal with Toronto may have impacted Skapintsev’s place on the roster. Along with acquiring centerpiece OG Anunoby from the Raptors, the Knicks received forward/center Precious Achiuwa to fortify their frontcourt depth.
New York now has an open two-way spot. Charlie Brown Jr. and Jacob Toppin are the team’s other two-way players.
Suns Notes: Beal, Durant, Okogie, Gordon, Rotation
The Suns have won three straight entering their contest against Portland on Monday night. Bradley Beal has played the last two games after recovering from an ankle injury and his presence has been a “game-changer,” according to Devin Booker, Jack Thompson of The Associated Press relays.
Beal had seven assists against Charlotte in his return and 25 points in a five-point victory over Orlando.
“It’s a game-changer, being at full strength,” Booker said. “The offense was moving, the ball was hopping around and we were getting the best available shot.”
We have more on the Suns:
- Kevin Durant had a team-high 31 points in 39 minutes against the Magic. He’ll sit out the second game of the back-to-back with the Suns listing right hamstring soreness as the reason. Eric Gordon (right calf soreness) is questionable, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets.
- Josh Okogie has only scored one point in three games since returning from an ankle injury but coach Frank Vogel is glad to have the defensive specialist at his disposal, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. “He’s an important part of what we do with his ability to guard on the perimeter,” Vogel said. “We’ll measure it game to game in terms of what his nights look like. Some nights are going to be bigger than others based on the matchup.”
- Beyond sixth man Gordon, the second unit remains in flux, Rankin notes. Even Okogie’s spot is not guaranteed, due to subpar perimeter shooting. Nassir Little or Jordan Goodwin could emerge as alternatives.
Cade: Pistons’ Record-Setting Futility “Weighs On Us Every Day”
The Pistons established a new NBA record on Tuesday night, as the Nets defeated them 118-112. It was Detroit’s 27th loss in a row, the most consecutive losses by any team in a single season in league history.
Cade Cunningham scored 37 second-half points and 41 in all but it still wasn’t enough for the Pistons, who haven’t tasted victory since Oct. 28.
“It weighs on us every day,” he said during the postgame press conference relayed by Bally Sports Detroit (video link).
Coach Monty Williams said the burden of the losing streak has been tough to shoulder.
“It’s been heavy for a while,” he said (BSD video link).
The Pistons tied the record in a 126-115 loss at Brooklyn on Saturday. Their 27-game losing streak surpasses the futility of the 2010/11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013/14 Philadelphia 76ers, who each lost 26 straight.
Philadelphia dropped 28 straight across parts of two seasons, at the end of 2014/15 and the beginning of the ’15/16 campaign. The Pistons could tie that record when they visit Boston on Thursday.
The Pistons were outscored by 13 points in the second quarter on Tuesday.
“That’s something that’s plagued us all year long, just having that segment of the game or one quarter that kind of put us in the hole and we just haven’t been able to do enough to overcome,” said Williams, who was signed to a six-year contract by owner Tom Gores during the offseason to bring the franchise back to prominence.
Detroit actually had a five-point lead in the fourth but then gave up 13 unanswered points and couldn’t overcome the deficit.
“We need to continue to lean on each other, and continue to push each other and hold each other accountable more than ever now,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension next offseason, exerted his leadership after the game.
“He showed me even more in the locker room just now,” Williams said. “He talked passionately about the things we need to do and how everybody has to be in the boat and be accountable for where we are. You have to be real about where we are. Nobody wants something like this attached to them. The bottom line is it’s my job, it’s my responsibility. Coaches are graded on their record. That’s the bottom line.”
Gores promised “changes” last week but it remains to be seen what alterations will be made.
Pacific Notes: Booker, Vogel, Ishbia, Murray, James
Devin Booker says head coach Frank Vogel and the team’s leaders share the responsibility of turning the Suns’ fortunes around, Erin Walsh of Bleacher Report relays.
“We just have to get it together,” Booker said. “And that’s on me. That’s on Coach. That’s on KD, Eric (Gordon), all the leaders that we have in here to make sure that we’re more prepared when we come play.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported this week that Kevin Durant has grown increasingly frustrated with the team’s mediocre play.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Suns owner Mat Ishbia has been very proactive in making moves since acquiring the franchise toward the end of last season. However, Vogel said Ishbia has offered words of encouragement through the team’s struggles, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “He’s been incredibly supportive,” Vogel said. “Talks through every game with me. Has a great knowledge of the game of basketball. We have a ton of discussions about the teams that we’re playing, the thing we’re doing on the floor and what the results look like. Those conversations have been very productive and supportive.”
- Hawks guard Dejounte Murray is worth keeping an eye on as a potential trade target for the Lakers, The Athletic’s Shams Charania said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back show (video link). Charania notes that “the Hawks’ direction, of course, it’s in flux.” Murray’s four-year, $111MM+ contract extension kicks in next season but Charania notes that contract is favorable compared to that of Zach LaVine, another player who’s been linked to the Lakers. Austin Reaves would be a target for rival GMs, but the Lakers have shown no inclination of moving their talented young guard, Charania adds.
- LeBron James now holds the NBA scoring record. So what other major milestones could he shoot for? Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated writes that James could reach the 40,000-point mark. With three more healthy seasons, the Lakers superstar could also overtake Robert Parish for the all-time record in games played (1,611).
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Embiid, Porzingis, Ollie
The Sixers could put off acquiring another star player until the offseason, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (video link).
Speaking on the “NBA on ESPN” show, Wojnarowski stated that Philadelphia would prefer to preserve its cap space for next summer and then pursue a max salary player in a trade or free agency. As for this season, the Sixers are more likely to just seek a less splashier move.
“When (the Sixers) made the James Harden trade with the Clippers, there was a sense they may have to … at the trade deadline, find a star player to be able to keep up with Boston and Milwaukee in the East. They’re showing with this group they can do it maybe without a third star, maybe (do) something around the edges,” Wojnarowski said.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Sixers will have to go without their superstar for at least one more game. Joel Embiid, who didn’t play against Miami on Christmas Day, won’t suit up against Orlando on Wednesday, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Embiid, named the conference’s Player of the Week on Tuesday, is nursing an ankle injury he suffered on Friday against Toronto.
- The Celtics made a controversial move by trading for Kristaps Porzingis during the offseason. Jayson Tatum says the team is reaping the benefits of having Porzingis’ large presence in the lineup, Jared Weiss of The Athletic tweets. “We haven’t had a low post presence like that since I’ve been on the Celtics and it creates so many problems,” Tatum said. “Are you gonna switch us? Are you in drop?…I’m just happy to be on this side of it.”
- Kevin Ollie joined Jacque Vaughn‘s Nets staff early in the summer after being one of the finalists for the Pistons’ head coaching position. The New York Daily News’ CJ Holmes details the impact Ollie has made on the staff and the players.
Bulls Notes: Vucevic, Defense, White, LaVine
Zach LaVine and Torrey Craig are already sidelined indefinitely by injuries. Bulls starting center Nikola Vucevic will now miss some games due to a strained left groin, coach Billy Donovan told NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson and other media members.
Vučević had appeared in every game so far this season after not missing a single contest in 2022/23. The team is hopeful that his absence is in the range of four-to-10 days.
“A lot of it is going to be how he responds to rehab,” Donovan said. “He obviously was pretty sore after (Saturday’s) game and obviously over Christmas. He came in (Tuesday) for treatment.”
We have more on the Bulls:
- The Bulls’ defense had improved during their 8-4 stretch, prior to Tuesday’s matchup against the Hawks. During the 12-game span, they had a defensive rating of 113.4, sixth-best in the NBA. Chicago finished fifth in defensive rating last season. “It’s amazing what happens in basketball when you box out, don’t foul, don’t turn the ball over, get back in transition,” guard Alex Caruso said. “You tend to win ballgames.”
- Coby White is having a career year across the board and he has become a focal point for opposing defenses. Donovan is impressed with how White is handling the added attention, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times writes. “He’s been guarded by a lot of different really good defenders, but I think the one thing that Coby has been able to do besides the scoring piece is he’s been able to play for his teammates, getting into the paint, doing other things, and maybe figuring out how he’s being guarded, how the game is going, and where he can kind of inject himself,” Donovan said.
- As for LaVine, Donovan said he’s started “light cutting” as of Tuesday, Johnson tweets. Thursday marks three weeks of the estimated three-to-four week timeline until he’s re-evaluated. He’s dealing with inflammation in his right foot.
Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Champagnie, Johnson, Popovich
Victor Wembanyama is expected to be a game-time decision this evening when the Spurs face Utah, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News tweets. The No. 1 overall pick will test out his ankle during a pregame workout. He suffered a mild right ankle sprain when he stepped on a ball boy’s foot during warmups prior to San Antonio’s game on Saturday.
We have more on the Spurs:
- During that same game, Julian Champagnie started ahead of Keldon Johnson. When asked if he would remain in the lineup Tuesday, Champagnie responded to Orsborn, “I think so.” (Twitter link). It’s a good sign for Champagnie contractually, who is the first year of a four-year deal. He has a non-guaranteed salary for next season — according to Spotrac, San Antonio has until Aug. 1 to decide if he’ll get that guarantee.
- The Spus enter Tuesday’s game with a four-game losing streak and a 4-24 record. However, coach Gregg Popovich has maintained an even keel and tried to keep his young team’s spirits up, according to Jeff McDonald of the Express-News. “He has been positive for the most part,” forward Doug McDermott said. “He is still going to coach us hard and point out the things that we need to correct, but overall he has remained positive throughout it all.”
- Wembanyama’s rookie season hasn’t gone as smoothly as many people had expected, given the enormous amount of hype surrounding the big man. Some of the game’s biggest stars know what he’s going through. The Athletic’s David Aldridge spoke with Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Kristaps Porzingis about the struggles they experienced during their rookie seasons.
Lakers Notes: James, Starting Five, Christmas Game, Injury Report
LeBron James scored a season-high 40 points against Oklahoma City on Saturday as the Lakers snapped a four-game losing streak. James looked at it as a meaningful victory, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“We needed this win,” James said. “We didn’t want to end the road trip in a losing effort. … To come in here to play versus a team that’s been playing extremely well throughout this season, it was a big win for us.”
We have more on the Lakers:
- They made a significant lineup move prior to the contest, as forward Jarred Vanderbilt replaced guard D’Angelo Russell. The starting lineup of James, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Vanderbilt and Anthony Davis doesn’t have a true guard, but it allows them to switch more often on defense, Jovan Buha of The Athletic notes. “When you have that type of size, and you start that type of size, length and athleticism, and you can switch down the line, they basically gain no advantage,” coach Darvin Ham said. Offensively, the ball flowed through James and Davis, though it creates issues in terms of three-point shooting.
- Ham believes the Christmas Day game against the Celtics can be used as a measuring stick, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register relays. “They’re one of the teams that’s at the top of the food chain in our league,” Ham said. “A team that’s definitely a championship contender. We get a chance to see where we are. You don’t have to have a Knute Rockne speech for this one. It’s a classic Lakers-Celtics game. Both teams are playing – for the most part of the year – playing at a high level. It’ll be a great chance to see where we are against the best of the best in terms of competition.”
- James and Davis are listed as questionable to play on Monday due to left ankle injuries, Price tweets, though they’ve often been listed with that designation in recent games and have suited up. Rui Hachimura is also listed as questionable due to left groin soreness.