Wizards GM: John Wall Not Expected Back This Season
Although John Wall has left the door open for the possibility of a return to the court before the 2019/20 season ends, Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard essentially closed that door this week, as Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington relays. Having mentioned that Bradley Beal‘s life will be easier when Wall returns “next year,” Sheppard was asked for a follow-up and explained that the team doesn’t expect its starting point guard back until next season.
“I think we have maintained that all along. We didn’t plan on seeing him this year,” Sheppard said. “I think that’s fair to John, to manage the expectations for him. He’s on his way, but he’s not there and he’s not close yet. He’s a lot closer than he was a year ago when the injury happened.”
Given the Wizards’ 17-32 record, it makes sense that the team will be cautious with their star point guard and give him a few extra months to get to 100%. When he spoke to Chris Miller of NBC Sports Washington about visualizing his first game back, Wall talked as if he’s targeting opening night in 2020/21.
“I’ve gotta be honest with you, if our first game isn’t in D.C. then I probably won’t play,” Wall joked. “Just to be realistic. I’m going to try to force the NBA for my first game to be at home next season.”
Let’s round up a few more Wizards notes…
- Sheppard said on Thursday that almost every playoff team in both conferences inquired on Davis Bertans, Hughes writes for NBC Sports Washington. The Wizards hung onto Bertans and will aim to re-sign him this summer. “There was never a doubt in my mind that we wanted to keep him,” Sheppard said. “But I promise you that the more you say you want to keep somebody, the more teams don’t want to believe you and they keep calling.”
- Jerome Robinson hasn’t made major strides during his first two NBA seasons, but the Wizards liked him in the 2018 draft and are confident in a player development program that has had success with other young players like Moritz Wagner, says Fred Katz of The Athletic. Washington acquired Robinson from the Clippers in one of the team’s two deadline-day deals.
- Within that same story, Katz passes along word that the Wizards haven’t discussed a possible buyout with center Ian Mahinmi, who is on an expiring contract. “We’re obviously always open to anything that makes us better. But I wouldn’t even go down that road right now,” Sheppard said of the possibility. “Ian has done a great job for us this year, and he’s been a great leader, great professional for us.”
- Katz confirms (via Twitter) that the Wizards acquired Shabazz Napier‘s contract in their trade with Denver using their disabled player exception. Washington was the only team to use a DPE at the deadline.
Pistons Notes: Drummond, Rose, Wood, Kennard, More
After a report on Thursday morning suggested the Pistons would likely hang onto center Andre Drummond, the team ended up making a deal just hours later, sending the longtime Piston to Cleveland for a modest package that included a pair of expiring contracts and a future second-round pick. Drummond, perhaps having expected to remain in Detroit, immediately responded to the trade on Twitter.
“If there’s one thing I learned about the NBA, there’s no friends or loyalty,” Drummond tweeted. “I’ve given my heart and soul to the Pistons , and to have this happen with no heads-up makes me realize even more that this is just a business!”
Speaking today to reporters about the deal, head of basketball operations Ed Stefanski said that Drummond and his representatives knew he was being discussed in trade talks, but acknowledged that the Cavs emerged as an option at the 11th hour, pretty close to the deadline.
“The worst thing in the world is have to trade someone who’s been here (for a long time),” Stefanski said, per Rod Beard of The Detroit News. “This is the only place he’s been in. Emotions are raw. ‘Dre knew he was in trade talks and I was talking to his representatives about different things. Cleveland came in late. I guess you’d have to talk to ‘Dre what exactly he meant. But again, emotions are raw when this stuff happens. I understand that.”
While many NBA observers were surprised at how little the Pistons received for Drummond, Stefanski suggested there weren’t stronger offers out there, pointing out that the center position isn’t valued “like it once was” (Twitter links via James Edwards III of The Athletic).
Here’s more on the Pistons:
- Strong offers didn’t really materialize for Derrick Rose, according to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press, who tweets that potential suitors may have been scared off by Detroit’s high asking price and Rose’s desire to stick with the Pistons.
- Langston Galloway and Markieff Morris, who are both on expiring contracts, didn’t generate much serious interest around the NBA, sources tell James Edwards III of The Athletic. Stefanski suggested today that Detroit probably couldn’t have gotten more than a draft pick in the 50s for those players, Edwards tweets. The Pistons preferred to finish the year with their veterans.
- Edwards, who reported on Thursday that the Pistons turned down a Celtics offer for Christian Wood, notes that Wood has interest in re-signing with Detroit this summer.
- The Pistons started talking in earnest about a rebuild after injuries derailed their playoff chances this season, since the team doesn’t want to be stuck in the middle of the pack anymore, per Stefanski (Twitter links via Edwards). “We are looking to rebuild,” Stefanski said. “What the future holds will be interesting. We haven’t had the luxury of having cap space since we’ve been here — do you use it in free agency, collecting assets or making trades? We have to use it wisely.”
- Stefanski declined to specifically address the rumored Luke Kennard trade talks, but said the young shooting guard is “well-liked by other NBA teams.” The Pistons are happy to keep Kennard and make him part of their rebuild, according to Stefanski, who adds that the 23-year-old may be ready to return from his knee injury after the All-Star break (all Twitter links via Edwards).
- The Pistons haven’t discussed a potential buyout for Reggie Jackson, according to Stefanski (Twitter link via Beard).
Sixers Waive Jonah Bolden, Promote Norvel Pelle
10:30am: The Sixers have officially waived Bolden and signed Pelle to his new contract, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
10:23am: The Sixers are making a change to the back of their roster, according to Derek Bodner of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that the team will waive Jonah Bolden in order to sign two-way player Norvel Pelle to a standard contract.
Bodner adds (via Twitter) that Pelle’s new contract will be a multiyear deal. This season will be fully guaranteed, and next year’s salary will become guaranteed if he remains on the roster through July 6, a source tells Bodner.
Pelle, who turned 27 on Monday, has averaged 2.5 PPG and 3.6 RPG in 14 appearances (11.1 MPG) for the 76ers this season. The big man, a member of the NBAGL All-Defensive Team in 2019, has put up flashier numbers for the Delaware Blue Coats, recording 14.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, and 2.4 BPG in seven G League games (22.6 MPG) this season. He had reached his 45-day NBA limit and will now be permitted to rejoin the Sixers once his new deal is official.
As for Bolden, the 36th overall pick in the 2017 draft fell out of Philadelphia’s rotation entirely this season, logging just 14 minutes in four games for the club. He was under contract through 2022, but his salaries for the next two years are non-guaranteed, so the Sixers won’t be on the hook for any dead money beyond this season. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent if he clears waivers on Sunday.
The 76ers won’t be able to sign a two-way player to replace Pelle, since the deadline to do so was January 15.
Nets Sign Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot To Multiyear Deal
10:19am: The Nets have officially signed Luwawu-Cabarrot, according to a press release from the team.
9:33am: The Nets are signing wing Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot to a multiyear contract, according to his agent Misko Raznatovic (Twitter link). Brooklyn had an open spot on its 15-man roster, so no corresponding move will be required to complete the deal.
Luwawu-Cabarrot, who inked a two-way contract with Brooklyn in October, was waived last month so the Nets could sign a new two-way player (Jeremiah Martin) who would have a fresh allotment of allowable NBA days. However, the club immediately brought back TLC on a pair of 10-day deals. The second of those contracts expired earlier this week, and now that the trade deadline has come and gone without the Nets needing to use that open roster spot, they’ll bring Luwawu-Cabarrot back into the fold.
A first-round pick in 2016, Luwawu-Cabarrot has bounced around the league in his four NBA seasons, playing for the Sixers, Thunder, and Bulls before arriving in Brooklyn. In 25 games (15.3 MPG) for the Nets this season, he has averaged 5.2 PPG and 2.1 RPG with a solid .448/.431/.767 shooting line.
While Raznatovic didn’t specify the terms on Luwawu-Cabarrot’s new contract, it figures to be a two-year, minimum-salary deal, given Brooklyn’s cap limitations. Next season is unlikely to be fully guaranteed.
Heat Notes: Gallinari, Olynyk, Jones, Iguodala
For a few hours on Thursday, it looked as if the Heat would end up adding not just Andre Iguodala but Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari as well. However, Oklahoma City ultimately ended up not getting involved in the deal with Miami and Memphis that saw Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and Solomon Hill land with the Heat.
Like they did with Iguodala, the Heat were trying to complete an extend-and-trade deal for Gallinari, but the team’s desire to keep its 2021/22 cap sheet as clear as possible complicated those extensions talks. If the Heat had been willing to do an extension that was guaranteed through 2022, ESPN’s Zach Lowe believes they likely would’ve been able to acquire Gallinari without surrendering any of their key young players.
According to Lowe, talks between Miami and Oklahoma City focused on draft compensation. The Thunder already own the Heat’s top-14 protected 2023 first-round pick and wanted the protections lifted on that selection so that Miami could also trade its 2025 first-rounder to OKC.
As Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald explains (via Twitter), the Heat also probably could’ve acquired Gallinari without extending him, but they felt as if the risk of just renting the veteran forward for three months wouldn’t be worth the draft capital it would require.
Here’s more on the Heat:
- There was a belief that Crowder and Hill would be re-routed to the Thunder along with draft picks if Gallinari was involved in that Heat/Grizzlies swap. However, that may not have been the only scenario in play — David Aldridge of The Athletic hears from sources that Miami was also willing to discuss Kelly Olynyk and Derrick Jones in potential trades.
- Jeff Siegel of Early Bird Rights provides some new info on Iguodala’s extension with the Heat, tweeting that the two-year, $30MM deal – which is worth a flat $15MM per year with a team option on year two – features a 7.5% trade kicker. If he’s dealt, that bonus would only apply to Iguodala’s non-option year, unless the option is exercised before the trade.
- The Heat have newfound flexibility for the summer of 2020 after moving James Johnson and Dion Waiters. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald explores possible paths Miami could take during the offseason, while cap expert Albert Nahmad of HeatHoops.com takes a more in-depth look at the financial situation facing the team as it considers its options for the next two summers.
- Count head coach Erik Spoelstra among those impressed with what president Pat Riley has done to revamp the Heat’s roster over the last year, as Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today details. “He’s one of the great visionaries of this Association, and it never ceases to amaze me how he continues to reinvent and think differently,” Spoelstra said of Riley. “That’s what visionaries do. They think way bigger and much differently than we do.”
Lakers Recruiting Darren Collison?
A familiar face was in attendance at Staples Center on Thursday night, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, who writes that veteran point guard Darren Collison watched the Lakers host the Rockets in a second-row seat near team owner Jeanie Buss.
Collison, who was said last month to be mulling an NBA return, would reportedly prefer to stay on the West Coast and play for the Lakers or Clippers if he makes a comeback. A source tells ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that the Lakers were “recruiting” Collison, who plans to discuss his next step over the next week with his agent and family. A decision appears likely to come after All-Star weekend.
For his part, Collison was unwilling to give any hints about whether his presence at Staples Center on Thursday night suggests he’s leaning toward joining the Lakers.
“Just watching the game, ain’t nothing to it,” Collison told ESPN. “Got the best seats in the house.”
Of the two Los Angeles teams, the Lakers – who could use one more play-maker in their backcourt – may have a greater need for Collison, but they currently have a full 15-man roster so they’d need to waive someone to open up a spot. The Clippers, on the other hand, are expected to have two openings once they officially waive Isaiah Thomas. For what it’s worth, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer tweeted on Thursday that league sources have “long believed” Collison would prefer the Lakers.
Of course, before Collison picks a team, he’ll have to decide whether or not he actually wants to return to the NBA after his surprise retirement last summer. ESPN analyst Matt Barnes said on Thursday that Collison told him he’s still “50/50” on whether to play.
Daryl Morey Talks Covington, Tax, Buyout Market, Playoffs
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey faced criticism in some circles this week for his decision to move center Clint Capela in a deal for Robert Covington, creating an extra-small lineup that has head coach Mike D’Antoni playing Covington and P.J. Tucker as his de facto “bigs.” While there’s skepticism that Houston can seriously contend for a title playing that form of small-ball, the experiment is off to a good start, with a road win over the Lakers in Covington’s first game on Thursday.
Speaking to Mark Medina of USA Today about the Rockets’ new-look roster and the club’s approach to the deadline, Morey said that Covington is a player Houston had been “trying to get for a long time.” He also shared a few more interesting insights on that deal and expectations for the Rockets as the postseason nears.
The interview is worth checking out in full, but here are some of the highlights from Morey:
On why the Rockets made a major trade after Morey previously suggested they likely wouldn’t:
“It was really just Covington becoming available. We’ve been working on that for a long time. We thought he’d be a perfect piece to play the style we thought would be best for two superstars on our roster. Clint is an extremely good player and one we did not want to give up. But it was required in this deal. Without the perfect piece for how we wanted to play becoming available, Clint would still be here. That was really the only way to get this done.”
On whether Rockets ownership prioritized getting out of the luxury tax:
“No. Actually, I’m being totally up front. I was getting strong encouragement to go the other way.
“… Ownership incorrectly gets beat up. We operate like every other team in the NBA. When you’re a contender, you’re right around the luxury tax line. That’s how we’ve always operated. That’s how we’ve operated since I’ve been here since 2006. We still have a huge payroll in the league. I know people like to focus on it. But that’s a weird thing. Focus on the team on the floor. If people don’t like that we don’t have a big man or don’t like how we play, that’s fine. But judge us for how we are.”
On how the Rockets will approach the buyout market:
“Honestly, we’re just going for best player. We like how we’re playing. People are saying, ‘You have to get a big this or a big that.’ But we’re going for the best player. If that’s a big, we’ll go grab it and figure out if he can fit into our style. If it’s a wing, we’ll do that. We feel very comfortable with our roster. We like where we’re at. We think this is a team that can win the championship. But if we can add a good player in the buyout market, we’ll do it. But we’re not counting on the buyout market.”
On expectations for the Rockets in this year’s playoffs:
“The Lakers deserve to be called the favorites (to come out of the West). They play better than anyone to this point. They’re playing unbelievable basketball at both ends. So they’re the favorite. We’re in a group with the Clippers, Utah and Denver and the other top contenders in the West to fight with them. But we feel very comfortable we can beat the Lakers.”
Wolves Notes: Towns, Russell, Tax, Beasley
Less than 24 hours after Karl-Anthony Towns expressed his frustration with the state of the Timberwolves – and the fact that the team can’t seem to buy a win – Minnesota’s front office made arguably the biggest trade-deadline splash, acquiring D’Angelo Russell from Golden State. Speaking to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, Towns sounded pretty happy that the Wolves’ lengthy pursuit of his good friend had finally paid off.
“I’d be lying if I told you I thought it was possible,” Towns said. “I’m shocked like everybody else. We’ve been putting it into the universe since Day 1. We’ve never been shy about saying it in the media or interviews or wherever it may be. If you want something to happen, you have to keep believing and keep saying it to the universe and repeating it and one day the universe will hear it and give you your wish.”
Although Towns is only in the first season of a five-year, maximum-salary contract, the Timberwolves’ lack of forward progress this season has been troubling. The team didn’t want its franchise player to start looking for an exit ramp as its losses continued to pile up. And it appears that the acquisition of Russell should assuage those concerns, at least for now.
“I think with D-Lo here, it’s always going to be a big incentive for me to want to stay,” Towns told Krawczynski. “D-Lo is a big part of everything the vision is. D-Lo always knows he’s going to be wanted because his brother is here with him and he always knows he’s going to have his back covered because I’m always going to be there for him.”
Here’s more on the Wolves:
- Here’s more from Towns, via Krawczynski, on his enthusiasm for teaming up with Russell: “First off we’re not friends, we’re brothers. That’s like blood to me. Why I think we’re going to be great, when you see the great teams in history, they always had a great big man and a great guard. I think we now have those two things set up for success.”
- As Chris Hine of The Star Tribune tweets, and as Krawczynski writes for The Athletic, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor signed off on going into luxury-tax territory to complete the Russell trade. The team’s 2019/20 salary is currently over the tax line by just $1,324,442, per John Hollinger of The Athletic, so the penalty will be minimal. “We wanted to get going on a better year,” Taylor told Krawczynski. “I told them that if we had to do it, we’ll do it.”
- Taylor told Krawczynski that all of the Timberwolves’ moves this year were made with an eye toward acquiring Russell, which was always the team’s No. 1 priority. He also explained why Minnesota pushed to get a deal with the Warriors done now: “I didn’t anticipate that we would have this rough of a season. I wanted and expected a team that would be vying to get into the playoffs. We started that way and then we just fell apart. That is a part of the evaluation process you go through. (President of basketball operations) Gersson (Rosas) decided, rather than wait, he wanted to try to start to get his team in place now rather than wait for next year.”
- Acquiring Russell is a high-risk, high-reward move for the Wolves, according to Jim Souhan of The Star Tribune, who suggests D-Lo and Towns have the talent to become “the most influential long-term teammates in Wolves history.”
- Pointing to Russell’s and Towns’ defensive limitations, Hollinger notes at The Athletic that the team will have to complement its stars with above-average defenders at the two, three, and four.
- Newly-acquired Wolves shooting guard Malik Beasley is in a good position to squeeze the team for a big contract in restricted free agency this summer, writes ESPN’s Zach Lowe. As Lowe observes, Minnesota will be under pressure to re-sign Beasley after making him one of the key pieces in the Robert Covington trade.
2020 NBA Trade Deadline Recap
The 2020 trade deadline wasn’t quite as eventful as 2019’s record-setting deadline, but we still got a flurry of activity before the clock struck 2:00pm central time on Thursday afternoon.
Although it was a quiet week for several potential contenders, including the Lakers, Bucks, Raptors, and Celtics, big-name trade candidates like D’Angelo Russell and Andre Drummond were on the move and a total of 11 deals were officially completed on deadline day.
We’ll use the space below to recap all of 2020’s deadline deals, starting with the moves that were finalized on Thursday.
Trades completed on deadline day:
Timberwolves finally land D’Angelo Russell (story)
- Timberwolves acquire D’Angelo Russell, Omari Spellman, and Jacob Evans.
- Warriors acquire Andrew Wiggins, the Timberwolves’ 2021 first-round pick (top-three protected), and the Timberwolves’ 2021 second-round pick.
- Note: The Timberwolves’ 2021 first-round pick will become unprotected in 2022 if it’s not conveyed in ’21.
Cavaliers emerge as surprise landing spot for Andre Drummond (story)
- Cavaliers acquire Andre Drummond.
- Pistons acquire Brandon Knight, John Henson, and either the Cavaliers’ or Warriors’ 2023 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable).
Clippers beat out Lakers for Marcus Morris in three-team trade (story)
- Clippers acquire Marcus Morris and Isaiah Thomas.
- Knicks acquire Maurice Harkless, the Clippers’ 2020 first-round pick, the Pistons 2021 second-round pick, the right to swap their own 2021 first-round pick with the Clippers’ 2021 first-round pick (top-four protected), and the draft rights to Issuf Sanon.
- Wizards acquire Jerome Robinson.
Heat acquire Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder in three-team deal (full stories)
- Heat acquire Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and Solomon Hill.
- Grizzlies acquire Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters, and Gorgui Dieng.
- Timberwolves acquire James Johnson.
Hawks re-acquire Dewayne Dedmon (story)
- Hawks acquire Dewayne Dedmon, the Rockets’ 2020 second-round pick, and the Heat’s 2021 second-round pick.
- Kings acquire Jabari Parker and Alex Len.
Sixers fortify their bench (story)
- Sixers acquire Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III.
- Warriors acquire the Mavericks’ 2020 second-round pick, the Nuggets’ 2021 second-round pick, and the Raptors’ 2022 second-round pick.
Rockets flip Jordan Bell to Memphis (story)
- Rockets acquire Bruno Caboclo.
- Grizzlies acquire Jordan Bell and the right to swap the Mavericks’ or Heat’s 2023 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable) with the Rockets’ 2023 second-round pick (top-32 protected).
Magic acquire James Ennis (story)
- Magic acquire James Ennis.
- Sixers acquire the Lakers’ 2020 second-round pick.
Nuggets, Wizards swap backup guards (story)
- Nuggets acquire Jordan McRae.
- Wizards acquire Shabazz Napier
Trail Blazers trade Skal Labissiere to reduce their tax bill (story)
- Hawks acquire Skal Labissiere and cash ($1,759,795).
- Trail Blazers acquire the Hawks’ 2024 second-round pick (top-55 protected).
Clippers move Derrick Walton Jr. to open roster spot (story)
- Hawks acquire Derrick Walton Jr. and cash ($1,313,576).
- Clippers acquire the Hawks’ 2022 second-round pick (top-55 protected).
Players waived on deadline day:
- Trey Burke (Sixers) (story)
- Tim Frazier (Pistons) (story)
- Amile Jefferson (Magic) (story)
- Nene (Rockets) (story)
- Derrick Walton Jr. (Hawks) (story)
Note: Isaiah Thomas (Clippers) and Gerald Green (Nuggets) are expected to be waived and Dion Waiters (Grizzlies) will likely be released or bought out, but those moves have not yet been made official.
Trades completed in the month leading up to the deadline:
Rockets, Hawks, Timberwolves, Nuggets complete massive 12-player trade (story)
- Rockets acquire Robert Covington, Jordan Bell, and the Warriors’ 2024 second-round pick.
- Hawks acquire Clint Capela and Nene.
- Timberwolves acquire Malik Beasley, Juan Hernangomez, Evan Turner, Jarred Vanderbilt, and the Nets’ 2020 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
- Note: The Nets’ 2020 first-round pick will again be top-14 protected in 2021 if it’s not conveyed in ’20.
- Nuggets acquire Gerald Green, Keita Bates-Diop, Shabazz Napier, Noah Vonleh, and the Rockets’ 2020 first-round pick.
Mavericks acquire injury replacement for Dwight Powell (story)
- Mavericks acquire Willie Cauley-Stein.
- Warriors acquire the Jazz’s 2020 second-round pick.
Thunder reduce tax bill, acquire a rookie forward (story)
- Mavericks acquire Justin Patton and cash ($800K).
- Thunder acquire Isaiah Roby.
Trail Blazers acquire Trevor Ariza, shed salary (story)
- Kings acquire Kent Bazemore, Anthony Tolliver, the Trail Blazers’ 2024 second-round pick, and the Trail Blazers’ 2025 second-round pick.
- Trail Blazers acquire Trevor Ariza, Caleb Swanigan, and Wenyen Gabriel.
Hawks re-acquire Jeff Teague (story)
- Hawks acquire Jeff Teague and Treveon Graham.
- Timberwolves acquire Allen Crabbe.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Clippers Acquire Marcus Morris In Three-Team Trade
7:37pm: The Clippers, Wizards, Knicks have issued press releases officially announcing this three-team trade sending Morris to the Clips.
Meanwhile, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic clarifies (via Twitter) that the Knicks only have the rights to swap their own 2021 first-round pick with the Clippers’ 2021 first-rounder — New York can’t swap Dallas’ 2021 first-rounder selection for L.A.’s.
1:45pm: The Clippers and Knicks have reached an agreement on a trade that will send Marcus Morris to Los Angeles, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, the return for Morris will feature Maurice Harkless and multiple draft picks, including the Clippers’ 2020 first-rounder.
The deal will also include a third team, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link), who reports that the Wizards will acquire Jerome Robinson from the Clippers, sending Isaiah Thomas to L.A.
The Knicks will get Detroit’s 2021 second-round pick from the Clippers, as well as the right to swap first-round picks with the Clippers in ’21, reports Ian Begley of SNY.tv (via Twitter). That pick swap will have top-four protection, adds Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (via Twitter). Draft-and-stash prospect Issuf Sanon will also go to New York (from Washington), tweets David Aldridge of The Athletic.
When Charania previously reported that the Knicks and Clippers were in serious discussions about Morris, Jovan Buha of The Athletic suggested that Los Angeles was offering Harkless, Mfiondu Kabengele, Terance Mann and its 2020 first-round pick. The final package for the Knicks is heavier on draft assets than NBA players, with Kabengele and Mann remaining in L.A.
Morris, 30, is having a career year in New York, with averages of 19.6 PPG and 5.4 RPG to go along with a .442/.439/.823 shooting line in 43 games (32.3 MPG). The Knicks were initially believed to be leaning toward keeping him and trying to re-sign him in free agency this summer, but changed course following Steve Mills‘ removal from the president of basketball operations role earlier this week.
Morris will join a talented Clippers frontcourt that features star forwards Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter), the team plans to start all three players when everyone’s healthy, alongside Patrick Beverley and Ivica Zubac.
The Lakers were among the other teams with interest in Morris, but were reportedly unwilling to include both Kyle Kuzma and Danny Green in a potential deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.