Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: Griffin Trade
The Pistons were expected to make some sort of move before the trade deadline to improve their playoff prospects. But did anyone see this coming?
Likewise, the Clippers were shopping a couple of their veterans, namely Lou Williams and DeAndre Jordan. But how many thought they’d move Blake Griffin this quickly after re-signing him to a five-year, $171.1MM contract over the summer?
Both organizations made very different decisions regarding the direction of their franchises by agreeing to a blockbuster deal on Monday. The Pistons took on Griffin and his huge contract along with a couple of reserves. Detroit shipped two starters, Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley, along with Boban Marjanovic and two draft picks to the Clippers. Los Angeles will get a first-rounder in the June draft unless it’s a top-four pick.
Harris and Bradley lead the Pistons in scoring, though Bradley’s production has dipped since he suffered a groin injury in December. Harris has become an above-average 3-point shooter this season and his contract expires after next season. Bradley is on an expiring deal.
The Clippers gave themselves major cap relief by dealing Griffin’s contract and picked up two solid veterans along with a likely lottery pick. Detroit received a perennial All-Star to pair up with Andre Drummond in the frontcourt, though Griffin’s injury history adds to the risk. But the Pistons clearly weren’t going anywhere with their current roster and now have a marquee player who might bring some more fans into the usually half-empty Little Caesars Arena.
That brings us to our question of the day: Who do you think will benefit the most from the blockbuster trade involving Blake Griffin, the Clippers or the Pistons?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section. We look forward to what you have to say.
Clippers Looking To Move Jordan, Williams
The Clippers will continue to pursue trades for DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams following their blockbuster deal with the Pistons, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. The Clippers shipped power forward Blake Griffin to the Pistons in a stunning move on Monday involving five other players and draft picks.
The Clippers are seeking young players and draft picks for Jordan and Williams, according to Wojnarowski. However, the team will also continue to discuss contract extensions with those players if the price is right, Wojnarowski continues.
Despite trading Griffin, the team doesn’t want to tank and go into full rebuild mode, Wojnarowski adds. Their objectives are to stay competitive, as they demonstrated by obtaining two starters for Griffin; acquiring more young players and draft picks; and creating payroll flexibility (Twitter links).
Jordan, who reportedly hasn’t come close to an extension agreement, has a player option on the final year of his contract next season worth $24.2MM. He’s averaging 11.9 PPG and 14.8 RPG this season. Williams has an expiring $7MM contract. He’s enjoying a career year, averaging 23.5 PPG and 5.2 APG. As of a week ago, Williams hadn’t made any progress regarding an extension.
The Cavs are reportedly one of the teams interested in both players.
Cavs Teammates Grill Kevin Love Over Illness
JANUARY 23, 11:33am: There was “frustration all around” during the Cavs’ team meeting on Monday, according to Tom Withers of The Associated Press, who suggests that frustration wasn’t aimed solely at Love. In his full report on the meeting, Wojnarowski writes that various team members have received blame within factions of the locker room for the club’s struggles — Love, Isaiah Thomas, Lue, Koby Altman, and Dan Gilbert are among those targets, league sources told Woj.
JANUARY 22, 9:30pm: During an emotional team meeting, Kevin Love‘s teammates questioned whether he was truly sick when he left the Cavaliers’ 148-124 loss against the Thunder on Saturday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. Love also missed Sunday’s practice and numerous teammates challenged him verbally during the meeting prior to Monday’s practice, Wojnarowski continues, citing league sources.
Love defended himself to teammates, coaches and management and there was a sense that team had worked out some issues, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter links). Love played just three minutes during the Oklahoma City debacle after complaining of dizziness and flu-like symptoms.
Clearly, there’s plenty of tension in the Cavs’ locker room as the team has gone into a deep slump. Cleveland has lost 10 of its last 14 games and there have been whispers that coach Tyronn Lue is on the hot seat.
The fact that Love’s dedication is under fire raises questions anew about his future with the club. It was reported early in the season that Cleveland would be willing to deal Love for an athletic swingman who could guard multiple positions. Love has seen a substantial amount of playing time at center this season, so potential suitors could view the natural power forward as a solution at two different spots.
Love has two years remaining on his contract after this season. He’ll make $24.1MM next season and holds a player option of $25.9MM for the 2019/20 season.
Pacific Rumors: L. Williams, Ball, Divac, Kings
Combo guard Lou Williams hasn’t made any progress with the Clippers regarding an extension, Sam Amick of USA Today reports. Williams is enjoying a career year and has an expiring contract that could draw interest from numerous contenders, but it sounds like the veteran wouldn’t mind staying put and reaching an agreement to stay in L.A. “I’m putting everything on the line out here for this organization, and you know the season I’m having I would like to be rewarded for it and just appreciated,” he told Amick.
In other Pacific Division developments:
- Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball has missed the last four games with a left knee injury and he may remain sidelined during the team’s upcoming five-game road trip, ESPN.com’s Ohm Youngmisuk reports. Ball is expected to join the team on the trip, which begins Friday in Chicago. The Lakers are 2-8 in games he’s missed. “Whether he plays or not [on the trip], that all depends on the knee,” coach Luke Walton told reporters. “We are not going to rush him back from a sore knee. Once that gets better, we will get him back on the court.”
- Kings GM Vlade Divac‘s job is safe despite the club’s disappointing season, writes The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Jones. Divac’s contract runs through the 2019/20 season and it wouldn’t do the organization any good to begin another rebuild with a different GM at this point, according to Jones, who adds that the way that next season unfolds will determine if Divac sticks long-term.
- With the Kings resting veterans and going all-in on their youth movement in the second half, Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee takes a closer look at several of the team’s young players, exploring what the team wants to see down the stretch from Bogdan Bogdanovic, Buddy Hield, De’Aaron Fox, and others.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Latest On Kidd, Bucks’ Coaching Job
Former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale is considered the early favorite to get the Bucks job after this season but there are some other viable candidates, according to Hoops Hype’s Bryan Kalbrosky.
Milwaukee fired Jason Kidd on Monday and replaced him on an interim basis with lead assistant Joe Prunty. Fizdale was fired in late November, in part because of a strained relationship with the team’s star, Marc Gasol.
Former Pelicans coach Monty Williams, Raptors G-League coach Jerry Stackhouse, Hawks assistant Darvin Ham, Thunder assistant Adrian Griffin, Clippers assistant Sam Cassell and Spurs assistants Ettore Messina and Ime Udoka are some of the other candidates that Milwaukee may consider, Kalbrosky adds.
Here are some nuggets regarding Kidd and the Bucks job:
- Bucks franchise player Giannis Antetokounmpo offered to help Kidd save his job, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne tweets. Kidd and the All-Star starter spoke 15 minutes before Kidd was officially notified he’d been fired, Shelburne adds.
- Milwaukee’s front office had been mulling over a coaching change for at least two weeks, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reports.
- Williams, who has been working in the Spurs’ front office, has been patiently waiting for another opportunity and is a name to remember, Sam Amick of USA Today tweets.
- Kidd leaves with no regrets and added “we took an organization that was in a bad place and shined a light on it,” according to another Shelburne tweet.
- Tensions between Kidd and the front office had been building for months, according to the Washington Post’s Tim Bontemps. There was friction between Kidd and forward Jabari Parker, Bontemps continues. Kidd also rubbed management the wrong way by lobbying for roster changes and harping on the lack on experience among the front office staff, Bontemps adds.
- Jeff Van Gundy and Rick Pitino are two other candidates the Bucks might consider, Forbes’ Mitch Lawrence reports. However, the organization does not have a stellar reputation and potential replacements for Kidd will likely want to know who’s calling the shots on personnel, Lawrence adds.
Central Notes: Walker, Van Gundy, LaVine, Cavs
The case for the Pacers pursuing a trade for Hornets point guard Kemba Walker comes down to whether he’d mesh with another ball-dominant guard in Victor Oladipo, Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star opines. Indiana hasn’t been linked to Walker but needs a long-term solution at point guard, Ayello continues. The Pacers could dangle rookie forward T.J. Leaf, a 2018 first-round pick and a handful of expiring and short-term contracts to interest the Hornets, Ayello notes. They also have some team-friendly contracts to trade if Charlotte wants to package a bad contract with Walker. Indiana needs another playmaker but Walker may not fit its scheme and he’s a subpar 3-point shooter, Ayello adds.
Also of note regarding the Central Division:
- The Pistons have lost five straight and coach Stan Van Gundy admits he’s at a loss why the team’s effort and energy has sunk over the past month, as he told Hoops Rumors and other media members. Detroit suffered a one-point home loss Sunday to the Nets, a team they blew out 11 days earlier. “I don’t know what’s with us. We’re not playing hard enough consistently enough,” he said. “We played hard at times. … But we’re not consistent enough at the defensive end and that, I don’t understand.”
- Zach LaVine is still trying to get back into top basketball shape, as the Bulls shooting guard admitted to Vince Goodwill of NBCSports.com. LaVine is averaging 11.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG and 2.5 APG in 19.2 MPG in four games since returning from knee surgery. “It was feeling good in practice but in games it’s seventy [percent],” LaVine said of his conditioning. “Playing defense, getting back, running the break, just getting used to it.” LaVine will be reevaluated on Wednesday and could soon see an uptick in minutes, Goodwill adds.
- Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue doesn’t plan on making a lineup change even though his team has lost 10 of its last 14, according to Associated Press report. Lue said that group has proven it can also turn things around. “We’ve got to play better, we’ve got to be sharper and that’s what we continue to keep working on,” he said. “It’s the same team that won 18 out of 19 and 13 in a row.”
Cavaliers Interested In Kent Bazemore
The Cavaliers have inquired into the availability of the Hawks’ Kent Bazemore, NBA.com’s David Aldridge reports in his weekly Morning Tip column. League sources informed Aldridge of Cleveland’s interest in the 28-year-old shooting guard, who is averaging 12.6 PPG and 4.3 RPG as well as career highs in assists (3.7) and steals (1.8) this season.
Swapping Bazemore, the team’s highest-paid player, would make plenty of sense for the rebuilding Hawks. He’s making $16.9MM this season and $18.1MM next season. He also holds a player option of $19.3MM for the 2019/20 season.
Bazemore isn’t a lockdown wing, according to Aldridge, though he has posted positive Defensive Box Plus/Minus ratings for four consecutive seasons, according to Basketball Reference. He’s also an above-average 3-point shooter, connecting on a career-high 37.6% this season and 35.4% for his career.
The question then becomes what kind of package the Cavs could piece together to interest the Hawks. Channing Frye‘s expiring $7.4MM contract would be the best asset from a salary standpoint that they could dangle. Atlanta reportedly wants expiring contracts and a first-rounder for Bazemore. The Pistons and Pelicans are two other teams that have been linked to Bazemore.
Eastern Rumors: Magic, Mirotic, Parker, Simmons
The Magic will likely be in firesale mode approaching the trade deadline, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times. Rival executives expect Orlando, which has sunk to the bottom of the conference standings, to shop guards Evan Fournier and Elfrid Payton and swingman Mario Hezonja, Stein adds. Fournier is signed through the 2020/21 season at $17MM annually. Payton can become a restricted free agent in the summer, while Hezonja will be an unrestricted free agent after the team declined to pick up his fourth-year option in October.
In other items regarding the Eastern Conference:
- Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic is now eligible to be dealt and admitted to reporters, including ESPN’s Nick Friedell, that he’s motivated by the trade chatter. He signed a two-year, $27MM contract in September that includes a team option for next season. That made him ineligible to be moved until mid-January. “This is kind of some motivation for me,” he said. “I know it sounds weird. But people are talking, ‘OK, Niko be gone’ and ‘Bye bye, Niko’ or whatever. But for me, it’s OK, just do what you’ve got to do. Play well and try to do your best until the last day and not be distracted.”
- Bucks forward Jabari Parker believes he’ll make his season debut before the All-Star break, he told Scott Grodsky of CBS 58 in Milwaukee. Parker tore his ACL in February, his second major knee injury since entering the league. Parker, who was assigned to the Bucks’ G League affiliate on Monday to continue his rehab, is targeting “the first two weeks before the All-Star game. It’s probably in that area.”
- Sixers rookie Ben Simmons vows he won’t back down from a challenge, according to an Associated Press report. Simmons and the Raptors’ Kyle Lowry were ejected during the closing seconds on Monday after an altercation. Simmons believes that veteran opponents are trying to intimidate him. “I don’t know if they’re trying to test me or see how I am on the court, but I won’t play around,” he said.
Rockets Sign Markel Brown To Two-Way Contract
10:15pm: The Rockets officially signed Brown to a two-way deal and cut Weber, the team announced tonight in a press release.
5:51pm: The Rockets plan to sign Markel Brown to a two-way contract and release guard Briante Weber, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets.
Brown has been playing for the Thunder’s G League team, the Oklahoma City Blue, after getting waived by the Thunder during training camp. Brown appeared in 22 games with the Blue, averaging 17.4 PPG in 31.4 MPG. Brown hasn’t played in an NBA game since the 2015/16 season. He saw extensive action for two seasons with the Nets, appearing in 109 games and averaging 5.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG and 1.2 APG in 16.2 MPG.
Brown will give Houston a little more depth at the two-guard spot.
Weber had used up a good portion of his 45-day limit of NBA service. Houston decided to bring in another player with NBA experience who could restart the clock in terms of service time. Weber appeared in 13 games with the Rockets, averaging 2.0 PPG in 9.1 MPG. All but four of those appearances came over the last 11 games after James Harden was sidelined by a hamstring injury.
Community Shootaround: First-Half MVP
We’ve reached the midpoint of the NBA season and several players have stood out during the first half of the schedule.
Certainly, last season’s runner-up in the MVP chase has made his mark once again. Entering Monday’s action, Rockets superstar guard James Harden topped the scoring column by a significant margin. He was averaging 32.3 PPG before being sidelined by a hamstring issue. Led by Harden, who is expected to return this week, the Rockets got off to a 25-4 start.
The Greek Freak, Bucks point forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, leads the All-Star voting while taking another step in his development. He’s averaging 28.4 PPG, second only to Harden, while also ranking in the Top 20 in rebounding, steals and blocks for a playoff contender.
LeBron James is showing no signs of wear and tear despite all the minutes he’s logged during his storied career. The Cavaliers forward ranks third in scoring (27.1 PPG), 24th in rebounding (8.0) and fourth in assists (8.8) while being forced to carry a heavy load with Kyrie Irving in Boston and Isaiah Thomas recently returning from a hip injury.
Speaking of Irving, he’s doing quite well in his new home. The Celtics point guard is averaging 24.0 PPG as Boston cruised into the second half of the season atop the East despite the season-opening loss of Gordon Hayward.
Kevin Durant (26.3 PPG) is enjoying another banner season and carried the Warriors for a stretch when Stephen Curry suffered an ankle injury. Jimmy Butler (21.5 PPG) might not boast the gaudy numbers of the aforementioned group but he’s sparked the resurgent Timberwolves with his defensive intensity and offensive versatility.
That leads us to today’s question: Which player do you feel was the league’s first-half MVP and what is your reasoning behind your selection?
Please weigh in below in our comments section. We look forward to your opinion on this topic.