Kings Trade Nemanja Bjelica To Heat
8:06pm: The trade for Bjelica is now official, per a Heat press release.
11:46am: The Heat and Kings are finalizing a trade that will send forward Nemanja Bjelica to Miami, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Sacramento will receive Maurice Harkless and Chris Silva in the deal, Woj adds (via Twitter).
The Heat have been linked to the stretch four for several weeks. They could have fit Bjelica’s $7.15MM salary into a $7.5MM trade exception, which expired on Monday. Instead, Heat president Pat Riley opted to send out players in order to stay below the luxury tax line. Harkless has an expiring $3.623MM contract and Silva is making $1.52MM. There’s a $1.78MM team option attached to Silva’s contract for next season.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (Twitter link), Miami stays $3.3MM below the tax line and also opens up a roster spot in the two-for-one transaction. Sacramento will have to waive or trade a player to accommodate the extra incoming player.
Bjelica’s role was greatly diminished this season as the new front office and coach Luke Walton made Marvin Bagley III the starter at power forward following an injury-plagued season until he fractured his hand this month.
The 32-year-old Serbian has only appeared in 26 games this season, averaging 7.2 PPG and 3.8 RPG. He had a career year last season, averaging 11.5 PPG and 6.4 RPG in 72 games, including 67 starts. He’s a career 38.7% shooter from 3-point range.
Bjelica’s 3-point threat will likely make him a rotation player for the Heat the remainder of this season. They can then decide whether to re-sign the unrestricted free agent or let him walk to create additional cap flexibility. They’ll have his Bird rights and can go over the cap to re-sign him.
Harkless and Silva only appeared in 11 games apiece this season. They’ll get a fresh start in Sacramento, unless the Kings opt to waive one or both of them.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Increasing Momentum Toward LaMarcus Aldridge Joining Heat
There’s “increasing momentum” toward LaMarcus Aldridge joining the Heat once he becomes a free agent, reports Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link).
Aldridge technically can’t sign anywhere until after he clears waivers on Saturday evening, but a sought-after player who has received a buyout will often reach a tentative agreement with a new team before he officially reaches the open market.
[RELATED: Spurs buy out LaMarcus Aldridge]
While there’s still a chance that Aldridge and the Heat won’t finalize a deal, many of the team’s beat reporters – including Reynolds, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald and Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (all Twitter links) – are talking as if it’s essentially a done deal.
Meanwhile, Jason Quick of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that Aldridge won’t be returning to Portland. The Trail Blazers had been viewed as one of Miami’s top competitors for the big man.
It has been an eventful day for the Heat, who reached agreements to acquire Victor Oladipo and Nemanja Bjelica in two separate trades. The team also traded for Trevor Ariza last week, and would still have one open roster spot after adding Aldridge.
While Aldridge isn’t the same player he was when he earned seven All-Star berths for Portland and San Antonio, he was still relatively productive in a part-time role with the Spurs in 2020/21, averaging 13.7 PPG and 4.5 RPG on .464/.360/.838 shooting in 21 games (25.9 MPG). Assuming he officially sign with the Heat, he’ll complement the likes of Bam Adebayo, Ariza, Bjelica, and Precious Achiuwa in the club’s frontcourt.
Sixers Acquire George Hill In Three-Team Trade
7:15pm: The trade is now official, according to press releases from the Sixers and Knicks. The deal breaks down as follows:
Sixers acquire Hill and Brazdeikis.- Thunder acquire Bradley, Rivers, the Sixers’ 2025 second-round pick, and the Sixers’ 2026 second-round pick.
- Knicks acquire Ferguson, Poirier, the Sixers’ 2021 second-round pick, the Heat’s 2024 second-round pick (top-55 protected; from Sixers), and the draft rights to Emir Preldzic (from Sixers).
The Knicks’ acquisitions of the Heat’s protected 2024 second-rounder and Preldzic’s rights weren’t reported earlier, but neither is a difference-making asset, as the pick will only be conveyed if it falls between 56-60 and Preldzic is unlikely to ever play in the NBA.
New York will waive Poirier now that the deal is official, as we relayed earlier.
11:52am: The Sixers, Thunder, and Knicks are finalizing a trade that will see George Hill land in Philadelphia, according to reports from Shams Charania of The Athletic and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (all Twitter links).
The Thunder are receiving Tony Bradley and Austin Rivers, according to Wojnarowski, who says Philadelphia will send Terrance Ferguson to New York and will acquire Ignas Brazdeikis from the Knicks (Twitter link). Vincent Poirier will join Ferguson in heading from Philadelphia to New York, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.
The Sixers are also sending a pair of second-round picks to Oklahoma City, per Wojnarowski, who tweets that those second-rounders will be Philadelphia’s own in 2025 and 2026. Meanwhile, Steve Popper of Newsday reports (via Twitter) that the Knicks are acquiring Philadelphia’s own 2021 second-rounder.
While the 76ers were viewed as one of the top suitors for Kyle Lowry, it appears they’ve opted to go in a different – and less costly – direction, addressing the point guard position by acquiring Hill, a steady veteran who has a ton of postseason experience.
The 34-year-old Hill averaged 11.8 PPG and 3.1 APG with a .508/.386/.840 shooting line in 14 games (26.4 MPG) for the Thunder before he was sidelined by a thumb injury. It’s not clear how much more time he’ll miss, but a report this week indicated he’s out of his cast and is working toward a return. Presumably, Philadelphia is confident about his ability to contribute down the stretch.
Hill’s $10MM salary for the 2021/22 season only has a small ($1.28MM) partial guarantee, so the Sixers will have some flexibility during the offseason as they consider whether or not to hang onto him.
As for the Thunder and Knicks, the two rebuilding clubs will add to their ever-growing collections of draft picks in this deal. Ferguson and Poirier probably aren’t in New York’s plans, but the two players headed to Oklahoma City are a little more intriguing.
Bradley, who is eligible for restricted free agency, had 18 points and 11 rebounds in his final game as a Sixer on Tuesday, while Rivers has been a rotation player for playoff clubs in the past and is on a team-friendly contract, with non-guaranteed cap hits of $3.33MM in 2021/22 and $3.15MM in ’22/23.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Celtics Trade Daniel Theis To Bulls In Three-Team Deal
6:27pm: The trade is now official, per a press release from the Wizards.
2:57pm: Ryan McDonough of Radio.com provides the full details on the trade, explaining (via Twitter) that it’ll be folded into the previously-reported Bulls/Wizards swap that involved Wagner. The breakdown is as follows, per McDonough:
- The Bulls will receive Theis, Green, Troy Brown, $1.3MM in cash from the Celtics, and $250K in cash from the Wizards.
- The Celtics will receive Kornet and Wagner.
- The Wizards will receive Daniel Gafford and Chandler Hutchison.
The C’s will end up $950K below the tax line as a result of their series of moves, tweets Marks.
2:31pm: The Celtics and Bulls have agreed to a deal that will send Daniel Theis to Chicago and Moritz Wagner to Boston, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter links). K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago first reported the talks between the two teams (Twitter link).
According to Johnson and Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald (Twitter links), Jeff Teague and Javonte Green were also discussed leading up to the deadline, with the possibility of a third team joining the mix. Teague will be sent to Orlando as part of the Evan Fournier trade and will subsequently be waived, per Josh Robbins and Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
It’s not clear if a third team will take on Green or if he’ll be end up going to the Bulls, but the Celtics are believed to be acquiring Luke Kornet from Chicago in the deal, tweets Murphy.
The move will get the Celtics get out of luxury tax territory following their acquisition of Fournier, as Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. Meanwhile, it gives the Bulls a solid backup center following their earlier deal for Nikola Vucevic.
Thunder Release Meyers Leonard
6:08pm: Thunder GM Sam Presti has announced that the team has officially released Leonard, via a team press release.
4:17pm: The Thunder have waived veteran center Meyers Leonard, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The move had been expected, as the Thunder only acquired Leonard in last week’s Trevor Ariza trade for salary-matching purposes. Oklahoma City kept him on the roster in case his $9.4MM salary proved useful in another deadline deal, but with the deadline now behind us, it didn’t take long for them to officially part ways with him.
Leonard is out for the season with a shoulder injury and was recently fined and suspended for using an anti-Semitic slur during a video game live stream. While his salary for this season is guaranteed, his $10.15MM salary for 2021/22 is a team option and has long been viewed as a lock to be declined. The Thunder won’t be on the hook for any of next season’s money.
The move will temporarily open up a spot on Oklahoma City’s roster, but it’ll be filled in the team’s two-for-one deal involving George Hill. With Hill and Leonard heading out, the Thunder are adding Tony Bradley and Austin Rivers.
Magic Trade Nikola Vucevic To Bulls
4:37pm: The trade sending Vucevic to Chicago is official, according to a press release from the Magic.
“Anytime you trade a player like Nikola, it is a tough decision to make,” president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said in a statement. “‘Vooch’ will go down as one of the best players to ever wear a Magic uniform and we can’t thank him enough for all the contributions he made to the organization, both on and off the court.”
10:05am: The Magic are trading All-Star center Nikola Vucevic and veteran forward Al-Farouq Aminu to the Bulls, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (all Twitter links).
According to Wojnarowski, Orlando will receive Wendell Carter, Otto Porter, and a pair of future first-round picks in the deal. Those picks will be the Bulls’ own 2021 and 2023 first-rounders, Woj adds (via Twitter). Both will be top-four protected, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter links).
The agreement comes as a major surprise. While Vucevic has been mentioned in some trade rumors in the weeks leading up to the deadline, he had talked about being happy with his current situation, and there was a belief that the Magic were reluctant to move their lone All-Star and shift into full-fledged retooling mode. Wojnarowski (Twitter link) had reported earlier today that Orlando was still listening to offers for the big man, but would have to receive a substantial package to pull the trigger on a deal.
The Magic apparently believe the Bulls’ offer qualifies as substantial. In addition to the future first-round picks, which are the prized assets in the return, Orlando will also receive a former lottery pick in Carter who was highly regarded coming out of Duke and is still just 21 years old. Carter has been plagued by injury issues through his first three NBA seasons and his production hasn’t really increased since his rookie year, but he’s still viewed as a player with upside.
Orlando will also gain some longer-term salary relief in the trade. While Porter is earning more ($28.5MM) this season than any of the other three players involved in the swap, his contract will expire this summer. Vucevic is owed and Aminu are owed a combined $34MM+ next season, and Vucevic is under contract for one more year beyond that, so the Magic will have much more cap flexibility going forward.
The move also signals that Aaron Gordon is even more likely to be dealt today, with the Magic headed for a reset. The odds of the team moving Evan Fournier and/or Terrence Ross figure to increase as well. As Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports tweets, Orlando will boost the odds of landing a top pick in the 2021 draft by trading away veterans — that lottery pick, combined with the return of Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz next season, could help accelerate the team’s rebuild.
The Bulls, meanwhile, weren’t among the teams listed as having significant interest in Vucevic in a report earlier this month, but decided to take a big swing and will add a second All-Star to a core headlined by Zach LaVine.
The team’s front office wanted to bring in a “productive, serious-minded veteran” to be a cornerstone in Chicago, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), and zeroed in on Vucevic, who has posted a career-high 24.5 PPG this season to go along with 11.8 RPG and 3.8 APG. His .406 3PT% is also a career-best mark.
Taking on Aminu’s multiyear contract will add some money to the Bulls’ cap in 2021, but the club was projected to have plenty of flexibility, so that shouldn’t be an issue. Vucevic’s contract is also relatively team-friendly — he’s making $26MM this season, but that number will decline to $24MM in 2021/22 and $22MM in ’22/23.
It will be interesting to see whether the Bulls have more up their sleeve before today’s deadline. The team has been taking calls to gauge Thaddeus Young‘s value, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link), and remains in the mix for Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
It will take more than just Lauri Markkanen to acquire Ball, tweets Johnson. New Orleans may want Chicago to take on an unwanted multiyear contract, such as Eric Bledsoe‘s.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Buyout Rumors: Drummond, Porter, Wall, Ellington, Nuggets
The buyout market for Andre Drummond is expected to center around the Lakers and Knicks, says Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link).
Reports earlier this week indicated that executives around the NBA widely view the Lakers as the favorites to land Drummond, given the team’s ability to offer him an immediate role and an opportunity to compete for a title.
However, the Knicks are an interesting wild card, since their leftover cap room would allow them to offer Drummond a multiyear contract worth eight figures annually without having to wait until the summer.
Drummond’s buyout agreement with Cleveland is in the works, while LaMarcus Aldridge‘s with the Spurs is already a done deal. Here are a few more notes and rumors on the buyout market:
- Multiple teams are keeping an eye on Otto Porter as a potential buyout candidate following the trade that will send him from Chicago to Orlando, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). However, the Magic‘s plan for now is to hang onto Porter, a source tells Haynes.
- The Rockets and John Wall aren’t discussing a buyout, league sources tell Haynes (Twitter link). Wall has two years and $91.6MM left on his contract after this season, so it would’ve been a shock if the two sides were already looking at a possible buyout.
- After retaining Wayne Ellington through the trade deadline, the Pistons have no plans to buy out the veteran sharpshooter, says Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
- Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link) expects the Nuggets to take a long look at the buyout market, especially if an appealing shooting guard becomes available.
Raptors Keeping Kyle Lowry
The Raptors did not trade Kyle Lowry before this afternoon’s trade deadline, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that Lowry is remaining with Toronto.
Lowry was one of the biggest names among this year’s trade candidates and seemed increasingly likely to be on the move as the deadline neared and the Raptors shifted into full-fledged seller mode. Toronto dealt Norman Powell to Portland and moved Terence Davis and Matt Thomas for draft picks in deals that appears designed to open up roster spots to accommodate a three-for-one type deal for Lowry.
However, it seems the Raptors ultimately didn’t feel any of the offers they received warranted parting with arguably the greatest player in franchise history. Lowry has made six All-Star teams during his time in Toronto and helped the team win its first championship in 2019.
The Sixers, Heat, and Lakers were said to be the top suitors for the veteran point guard, who turned 35 years old today. But those teams were apparently unwilling to part with the top trade assets Toronto was seeking in a deal. Those players included Matisse Thybulle (Philadelphia), Tyler Herro (Miami), and Talen Horton-Tucker (L.A.).
Lowry was always fine with the idea of finishing the season with the Raptors, sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link). He’s now on track to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason, and a new deal with Toronto is possible, since the team holds his Bird rights. The Heat, after missing out on Lowry at the deadline, may also pursue him in free agency, assuming they clear the necessary cap room.
A sign-and-trade involving the Heat or another team could also be a possibility this summer if Lowry wants to move on. The Raptors seem optimistic they’ll be able to work out such a deal if Lowry wants to land elsewhere, tweets Mark Medina of USA Today.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Trade Rumors: Lowry, Knicks, Ball, Suns, Nuggets
Kyle Lowry‘s future is the focus around the NBA right now, Shams Charania said on Stadium’s live trade deadline show on Twitter.
According to Charania, the Raptors remain seriously engaged with the Heat and Lakers, having been offered packages headed by Duncan Robinson (Miami) or Dennis Schröder and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (L.A.). Toronto is pushing for the inclusion of Tyler Herro or Talen Horton-Tucker in any deal with the Heat or Lakers, says Charania.
Charania adds that the Heat are believed to be Lowry’s preferred destination.
Here’s more from around the league:
- The Knicks have remained engaged with the Pelicans today about a possible Lonzo Ball trade, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv. New York is also receiving inquiries on center Mitchell Robinson, according to Begley, though it’s not clear if the team is open at all to moving Robinson.
- As of earlier this afternoon, the Suns weren’t close to making any deals, and all signs pointed to them standing pat at the deadline, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7.
- The Nuggets are likely done dealing after agreeing to trades for Aaron Gordon and JaVale McGee, tweets Mike Singer of The Denver Post.
Lakers, Heat, Sixers Remain Engaged In Kyle Lowry Talks
The Raptors remain “seriously” engaged with the Lakers, Heat, and Sixers in trade discussions involving point guard Kyle Lowry, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Miami and Philadelphia have long been mentioned as suitors for the veteran guard, but the Lakers are a more recent addition to the Lowry sweepstakes. Charania’s report comes on the heels of ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski suggesting on Wednesday that the Lakers are a team to watch on the Lowry front.
While the NBA’s two biggest national news-breakers have the Lakers in the mix for Lowry, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst expressed some skepticism today on First Take this morning, suggesting that the Lakers rumors may be a smokescreen to get the Heat and 76ers to improve their offers, as RealGM relays. Windhorst also said that, as of Wednesday, the Raptors hadn’t been all that impressed by the offers on the table for the six-time All-Star.
“They’re basically negotiating with only two teams, with Miami and Philadelphia,” Windhorst said, per RealGM. “From what I can glean from people I’ve talked to, neither one of them are putting the premium, premium package they can offer for Kyle Lowry and that’s frustrated the Raptors a little bit.”
Of course, while the Raptors may feel as if they’re being low-balled, that’s a matter of perspective. League sources who spoke to Jordan Schultz of ESPN (Twitter link) said Toronto’s asking prices for Lowry and Norman Powell are “huge.” Since those two Raptors vets are considered two of the top options on the trade market, the market may not really get moving until there’s resolution on one or both of them, Schultz explains.