Celtics Notes: White, Theis, Roster Openings, Pick Swap
Speaking to reporters on Friday about the Celtics‘ deadline-day trade for Derrick White, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said the team has thought for years that the longtime Spurs guard would fit with Boston’s best players (Twitter link via Keith Smith of Spotrac). Stevens referred to White as a strong defender who also “makes the right play on offense over and over” (Twitter link via Jared Weiss of The Athletic).
Confirming a previous report that the acquisition of Daniel Theis came together quickly right before the deadline, Stevens said the Celtics were happy to get two players who will be under contract for multiple years to come (Twitter link via Weiss). Both White and Theis are under team control through 2025.
“Neither move was a short-term deal,” Stevens said (Twitter link via Smith). “When trading away two really good perimeter players, we had to get perfect fits. We want to maintain the stretch we’re on, but this is about the long-term. We know these guys can be on the floor in a seven-game playoff series.”
The Celtics’ series of trades opened up five spots on their 15-man roster, so Stevens will remain busy after the deadline as he looks to fill those openings.
According to Weiss (Twitter link), Stevens expects to sign a couple players as soon as today, telling reporters that the front office is looking for “skilled” players, with an eye on outside shooting. He later said during an appearance on the Toucher and Rich radio show in Boston that his immediate focus is on frontcourt players (Twitter link via Weiss).
Here are a few more notes on the Celtics:
- The 2028 first-round pick swap the Celtics gave the Spurs in the White deal will be top-one protected, sources tell Brian Robb of MassLive.com (Twitter link). In other words, if Boston gets the No. 1 overall pick in ’28, San Antonio won’t be able to swap first-rounders, but otherwise the Spurs will have that option.
- Asked today about the decision to give up a 2028 pick swap in addition to a lightly-protected 2022 first-round pick for White, Stevens acknowledged that risk, but expressed a belief it was worth it. “That can go either way, right? That’s the one you lose sleep over for a couple of days,” Stevens said (Twitter link via Weiss). “But I think the analysis of that is we’ve got some really good players and we’ve got a person who fits in perfectly with them.”
- In a story for The Athletic, Weiss and Jay King assessed the Celtics’ deadline moves. Weiss doesn’t think the deals made Boston a legit title contender in the East, but says the gap between the C’s and the East’s top teams has gotten smaller.
- In his own breakdown of the Celtics’ trades, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston acknowledges there’s no guarantee the roster changes will make the team better right away, but notes that Stevens has proven he’s certainly not risk-averse in his new front office role.
Leftover Deadline Rumors: Raptors, Rockets, Lakers, Nuggets, Knicks
The Raptors considered a series of potential trade scenarios before they agreed to send Goran Dragic and a draft pick to San Antonio for Thaddeus Young, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.
According to Grange, Toronto had hoped the Hawks would make Bogdan Bogdanovic available, viewing the veteran wing as someone who could help the team in both the short- and long-term. However, Atlanta didn’t budge on Bogdanovic, forcing the Raptors to look elsewhere.
The Raptors inquired on Pistons forward Jerami Grant and Kings forward Harrison Barnes, sources tell Grange, but the price tags for those players were high. As previously reported, there were also discussions about a three-team deal that would’ve sent Talen Horton-Tucker and Nerlens Noel to Toronto, but Grange suggests those talks never gained serious traction.
Here are a few more leftover rumors on trades that didn’t get made on deadline day:
- The Rockets never made real progress on a John Wall trade with the Lakers, who were unwilling to attach a first-round pick to Russell Westbrook, but a few days before the deadline, Houston got much closer to moving Wall to another team, a source tells Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. That proposed deal ultimately fell through, per Feigen, who doesn’t specify which team the Rockets were talking to.
- During a TV appearance, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (video link) said one concept that “could have been discussed” by the Rockets and Lakers before the deadline, “depending on who you believe,” was a swap of Westbrook, Horton-Tucker, and draft capital for Wall and Christian Wood. It doesn’t sound like those talks, if they even occurred, advanced at all.
- After agreeing to acquire center Jalen Smith from Phoenix, the Pacers explored flipping him to a new team, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Fischer says the Nuggets were among the clubs in the mix for Smith, but Indiana didn’t find a deal it liked and ended up hanging onto the third-year big man.
- The Knicks didn’t make a deal on deadline day, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. Sources tell Steve Popper of Newsday that the club was willing to move just about anyone on its roster, but had trouble finding trade partners for many of its top trade candidates, including Kemba Walker and Noel. According to Popper, his sources suggested there was a “universal lack of interest in the Knicks’ talent and contracts.”
Mavericks Notes: Dragic, Porzingis, Bertans, Dinwiddie
Asked on Thursday night whether the Mavericks will go shopping on the buyout market, general manager Nico Harrison said he believes the team’s roster is “set,” as Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News tweets.
Dallas has long been viewed as a potential landing spot for buyout candidate Goran Dragic, but the team’s acquisition of Spencer Dinwiddie and Harrison’s post-deadline comments suggest a pursuit of the Slovenian may no longer be in the cards, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
According to Marc Stein (Twitter link), Dragic and the Spurs may take a little time to negotiate a buyout agreement. If and when the veteran point guard becomes available, he’ll likely have suitors who are able to offer him a more significant role than Dallas, Stein notes.
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban explained that his team was willing to trade Kristaps Porzingis to Washington on Thursday because the deal helped address two weak spots on the roster, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “I think KP’s an incredible talent. But we needed that shooter [Davis Bertans] and we needed another ball handler [Dinwiddie] who could create a shot, and unfortunately that was the only way we were going to get them,” Cuban said. “It was that simple — getting two guys who fill roles that we really needed, and the fact that we have played OK without KP. But I think that doesn’t take anything away from KP being a great talent, and I actually think he’s going to be better with the Wizards than he was with us.”
- Mavericks star Luka Doncic described the Porzingis trade as “shocking,” but stressed that he trusts the front office to do what’s best for the team, writes ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “Obviously, we’re going to miss KP,” Doncic said. “We were building something great here. It didn’t obviously work out. I wish him the best, and we’ve got two new guys who are welcome. Bertans is a great shooter. Dinwiddie can put the ball on the floor and he can score. The NBA is a business.”
- In case you missed it, the Mavericks are set to officially lock up Dorian Finney-Smith to a four-year contract extension. Multiple reports have pegged the value of Finney-Smith’s new deal at $52MM, while others have said it’ll be worth $55MM. If the extension includes incentives, there would be a difference between the base value and the maximum value, which could explain the discrepancy between those reported figures.
Bucks’ Connaughton To Miss Time With Broken Bone In Right Hand
Bucks wing Pat Connaughton has sustained a fracture to the fourth metacarpal (ring finger) of his right hand, according to Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The injury occurred during the third quarter of Thursday’s loss to Phoenix as Connaughton defended a Chris Paul drive (video link via Eric Nehm of The Athletic).
The Bucks haven’t set a timeline for how much time Connaughton might need to recover from the injury, but postgame comments from head coach Mike Budenholzer and teammate Khris Middleton suggested the club is preparing to be without the 29-year-old for the foreseeable future.
“We’re trying to figure out kind of who will see him next, what the next step is,” Budenholzer said, per Owczarski. “Unfortunate, but I think we’re hopeful that he’ll be able to return. When that is, not exactly sure. But, so, we’ll see.”
“Very unfortunate, man,” Middleton said. “He’s one of our bigger guys, especially off the bench. He plays a huge and key role for us, coming in the starting lineup every now and then, just being that glue guy for us on both sides of the ball. It’s going to be tough without him for a while, but hopefully he can get back sooner than later.”
Connaughton had been in the midst of a career year, having averaged 10.1 PPG and 4.4 RPG on .467/.407/.811 shooting in 54 games (27.0 MPG) this season for the defending champions.
The timing of the injury is especially unfortunate for the Bucks, who traded away some of their wing depth on Thursday, sending Donte DiVincenzo to Sacramento and Rodney Hood to the Clippers in a four-team deal that brought Serge Ibaka to Milwaukee.
With DiVincenzo and Hood no longer options, reserves like Wesley Matthews and Jordan Nwora could be in line for increased roles until Connaughton is able to return. The Bucks also have two open spots on their 15-man roster (three once Greg Monroe‘s 10-day contract expires) and will likely be active on the buyout market.
2022 NBA Trade Deadline Recap
The 2022 NBA trade deadline wasn’t as eventful as some previous deadlines – including last year’s – in terms of total deals made. However, you’d be hard-pressed to find many past deadlines that featured as many blockbuster trades as this year’s did.
While the Nets and Sixers stole the show by agreeing to a deal that sent James Harden and Ben Simmons to new teams, there were a slew of other noteworthy trades during the days leading up to the February 10 deadline, and on deadline day itself.
In total, 10 trades involving 33 NBA players (plus two more draft-and-stash players) were made on Thursday. Another six trades involving 24 different players (including two who were moved twice) were completed during the week before deadline day.
Here’s a recap all of 2022’s deadline deals:
Trades made on deadline day:
The Nets and Sixers complete the trade of the year (story)
- Sixers acquire James Harden and Paul Millsap.
- Nets acquire Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, the Sixers’ 2022 first-round pick (unprotected), and the Sixers’ 2027 first-round pick (top-eight protected).
- Note: The Nets reportedly have the option to defer the 2022 first-round pick to 2023.
The Mavericks cash out on Kristaps Porzingis (story)
- Wizards acquire Kristaps Porzingis and the Mavericks’ 2022 second-round pick (top-45 protected).
- Mavericks acquire Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans.
The Celtics secure a potential long-term answer at point guard (story)
- Celtics acquire Derrick White.
- Spurs acquire Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, the Celtics’ 2022 first-round pick (top-four protected), and the right to swap 2028 first-round picks with the Celtics (top-one protected).
The Celtics reacquire their former starting center (story)
- Celtics acquire Daniel Theis.
- Rockets acquire Dennis Schröder, Bruno Fernando, and Enes Freedom.
The Kings, Pistons, Clippers, and Bucks complete the season’s only four-team trade (story)
- Kings acquire Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Jackson, Trey Lyles, and the draft rights to David Michineau.
- Pistons acquire Marvin Bagley III.
- Clippers acquire Rodney Hood, Semi Ojeleye, and the draft rights to Vanja Marinkovic.
- Bucks acquire Serge Ibaka, either the Warriors’ or Cavaliers’ 2023 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable; from Pistons), the Kings’ 2024 second-round pick (from Pistons), and cash (from Clippers).
The Hornets make an upgrade at center (story)
- Hornets acquire Montrezl Harrell.
- Wizards acquire Ish Smith, Vernon Carey, and the Celtics’ 2023 second-round pick (top-45 protected).
The Raptors find a taker for Goran Dragic‘s expiring contract (story)
- Raptors acquire Thaddeus Young, Drew Eubanks, and either the Pistons’ or Bulls’ 2022 second-round pick (whichever is more favorable).
- Spurs acquire Goran Dragic and the Raptors’ 2022 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
The Suns reacquire a wing defender (story)
- Suns acquire Torrey Craig.
- Pacers acquire Jalen Smith and the Suns’ 2022 second-round pick.
The Suns add more backcourt depth (story)
- Suns acquire Aaron Holiday.
- Wizards acquire cash.
The Celtics sneak below the luxury tax line (story)
- Magic acquire Bol Bol, PJ Dozier, the Celtics’ 2028 second-round pick (top-45 protected), and cash.
- Celtics acquire the Magic’s 2023 second-round pick (top-55 protected).
Notable trade candidates who stayed put:
Jerami Grant, Pistons (story)- Myles Turner, Pacers
- John Collins, Hawks
- Harrison Barnes and Richaun Holmes, Kings
- Talen Horton-Tucker and Russell Westbrook, Lakers
- Eric Gordon and John Wall, Rockets
- Kemba Walker and Alec Burks, Knicks
- Terrence Ross and Gary Harris, Magic
Players waived on deadline day:
- D.J. Augustin, Rockets (story)
- DeAndre’ Bembry, Nets (story)
- Armoni Brooks, Rockets (story)
- Moses Brown, Mavericks (story)
- Michael Carter-Williams, Magic (story) *
- PJ Dozier, Magic (story) *
- Drew Eubanks, Raptors (story)
- E’Twaun Moore, Magic (story) *
- Abdel Nader, Suns (story) *
- Jahmi’us Ramsey, Kings (story)
- Robert Woodard, Kings (story)
Note: Players marked with an asterisk (*) have been sidelined with long-term injuries.
Note: Enes Freedom is also reportedly being waived by the Rockets, but it hasn’t officially happened yet.
Trades made in the week leading up to the deadline:
The Pacers swap a two-time All-Star for a possible future All-Star (story)
- Kings acquire Domantas Sabonis, Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, and the Pacers’ 2023 second-round pick (56-60 protected).
- Pacers acquire Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson.
The Trail Blazers kick off their retooling process (story)
- Clippers acquire Norman Powell and Robert Covington.
- Trail Blazers acquire Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson, and the Pistons’ 2025 second-round pick.
The Trail Blazers bid farewell to a longtime backcourt fixture (story)
- Pelicans acquire CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr., and Tony Snell.
- Trail Blazers acquire Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada, the Pelicans’ 2022 first-round pick (top-four protected and 15-30 protected), either the Pelicans’ or Trail Blazers’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is more favorable), and the Pelicans’ 2027 second-round pick.
- Note: The Pelicans had previously acquired the Trail Blazers’ 2026 second-round pick.
The Trail Blazers’ retooling continues; the Jazz take a low-risk gamble (story)
- Jazz acquire Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Juan Hernangomez.
- Spurs acquire Tomas Satoransky and either the Thunder’s, Rockets’, Pacers’, or Heat’s 2027 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable; from Jazz).
- Trail Blazers acquire Joe Ingles, Elijah Hughes, and the Grizzlies’ 2022 second-round pick (from Jazz).
The Cavaliers shore up their wing depth (story)
- Cavaliers acquire Caris LeVert and the Heat’s 2022 second-round pick.
- Pacers acquire Ricky Rubio, the Cavaliers’ 2022 first-round pick (top-14 protected), the Rockets’ 2022 second-round pick, and the Jazz’s 2027 second-round pick.
The Heat and Thunder complete a minor move (story)
- Thunder acquire KZ Okpala and amended terms of a first-round pick owed to them by the Heat.
- Heat acquire either the Thunder’s, Mavericks’, or Sixers’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable).
- Note: The Heat previously owed the Thunder their 2023 first-round pick (top-14 protected). They now owe their 2025 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
Mavericks Trade Kristaps Porzingis To Wizards
9:29pm: The trade is official, according to a Wizards press release. Dallas also confirmed the deal in a press release, announcing that they’ve waived Brown.
The second-rounder going to Washington is a protected 2022 pick, the teams announced. It’ll have to be the Mavs’ own second-rounder, since they hadn’t previously acquired any others.
“Kristaps is an All-Star player whose unique talents will fit well within our system and allow him to impact the game for us in multiple ways,” Wizards president of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard said in a statement. “He will get a fresh start with our team and provide us with the opportunity to play multiple lineups that feature size, versatility and shooting ability.”
1:38pm: The Mavericks and Wizards have agreed to a major trade, according to reports from Shams Charania of The Athletic and Marc Stein (Twitter links).
Big man Kristaps Porzingis is headed to Washington in the deal, per Stein, while Dallas will receive point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, according to Charania. Tim MacMahon of ESPN reports (via Twitter) that the Mavs are also acquiring sharpshooter Davis Bertans, while Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN says (via Twitter) that the Wizards are getting a second-round pick.
The Mavs will release big man Moses Brown to complete the trade, tweets MacMahon.
According to Stein (via Twitter), the Mavs spent much of the day on Thursday trying to find a home for Porzingis, who was previously linked to the Raptors. Dallas gave up a significant package in 2019 to acquire Porzingis from the Knicks, but he has continued to battle health problems in the years since then and hasn’t developed into the star running mate for Luka Doncic that the Mavs envisioned. He is also owed nearly $70MM for the two years beyond this season.
This season, Porzingis has averaged 19.2 PPG and 7.7 RPG while playing improved defense, but his three-point rate dipped to a career-worst 28.3% and he has only been healthy for 34 of 55 games. Dallas has a 13-8 record in the games he has missed.
The Wizards, who are retooling their roster around Bradley Beal, will roll the dice on Porzingis, hoping he has more success in D.C. than he did in Dallas. They’ll give up Dinwiddie and Bertans, two players who struggled badly this season in the midst of pricey multiyear deals.
Dinwiddie, 28, signed a three-year contract with the Wizards in the offseason, but has shot just 37.6% from the floor in his first season back from ACL surgery. As Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets, Dinwiddie never seemed comfortable in Washington’s offense without the ball in his hands, which happened a lot when he played alongside Beal.
Bertans, meanwhile, is in the second season of a five-year, $80MM contract, but has seen his three-point shooting fall off a cliff in 2021/22. A career 40.7% three-point shooter entering the season, the 29-year-old forward has made just 31.9% of his attempts from beyond the arc this year.
The Mavericks will be hoping that both players, who have had plenty of success in the past can bounce back in Dallas. Dinwiddie will give the team another ball-handler when Doncic and/or Jalen Brunson aren’t on the court, while Bertans will provide another floor-spacer to give Doncic more room to operate.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), Dinwiddie will give the Mavs’ some insurance in case they’re unable to re-sign Brunson in unrestricted free agency this summer. However, sources tell MacMahon (Twitter link) that Dallas remains confident about its ability to retain Brunson beyond this season.
Nets Waive DeAndre’ Bembry
8:50pm: The Nets have officially waived Bembry, according to a team press release.
4:25pm: The Nets are waiving veteran swingman DeAndre’ Bembry, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
Brooklyn was required to cut a player today in order to complete the team’s blockbuster deal with the Sixers. The Nets are acquiring three players – Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond – in that trade and only sending out two (James Harden and Paul Millsap).
Bembry, 27, has played well for Brooklyn in 2021/22, beginning the season on a partially guaranteed contract and earning a full guarantee based on his strong performance. In 48 games (19.8 MPG), he has averaged 5.8 PPG and 3.2 RPG on .568/.417/.600 shooting while providing defensive versatility.
Bembry will likely draw interest around the league as a free agent, or even before he clears waivers, since any team could claim his one-year, minimum-salary contract using a minimum salary exception. If Bembry goes unclaimed, Brooklyn will be on the hook for his full $1,669,178 cap hit.
Nets Trade James Harden, Acquire Ben Simmons
8:34pm: The trade is official, according to press releases from the Nets and Sixers. Nets general manager Sean Marks released this statement:
“We are thrilled to welcome Ben, Seth, Andre and their families to Brooklyn. Ben is an All-NBA and All-Defensive player with elite playmaking abilities, while Seth has proven to consistently be one of the league’s best 3-point shooters and Andre has been one of the league’s top rebounders for the last decade. Together, the three will enhance our core by providing versatility and depth on both ends of the floor while better balancing our roster.
“The decision to trade James was a difficult one, however after recent discussions with him and his representatives we felt that this move would be best for all involved, as it better positions us to achieve our goals this season and in the years ahead.”
Sixers co-owner Josh Harris released the following statement in Philadelphia’s announcement:
“James Harden is one of the truly elite players in the league. His career has been defined by incredible personal achievement, including honors as NBA MVP and three-time NBA scoring champion. We’re thrilled to pair him with Joel Embiid and this dynamic roster in our pursuit of an NBA title. I am proud to welcome James and Paul Millsap – a proven veteran and former All Star – to the 76ers, and can’t wait for what the future holds for the city and our fans.”
12:18pm: The Nets and Sixers are finalizing a trade that will send James Harden to Philadelphia, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter links), Brooklyn will receive Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round picks, while the 76ers acquire Paul Millsap along with Harden.
Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter) that the first-rounders headed to the Nets are the Sixers’ unprotected 2022 pick and a protected 2027 pick.
Brooklyn will have the right to defer this year’s pick to ’23, according to Wojnarowski, who says (via Twitter) the ’27 pick will be top-eight protected. If it doesn’t convey in 2027, it will be top-eight protected again in ’28. If it falls in its protected range twice, the Nets would instead get a 2028 second-rounder and cash.
Although a potential Harden/Simmons swap was first mentioned as a possibility back in the fall, it hadn’t been viewed as something that could realistically happen during the season until the last week or so.
With Kevin Durant injured and Kyrie Irving only partially available due to his vaccination status, the Nets have been in a tailspin, losing their last nine games. Harden had looked increasingly unhappy during Brooklyn’s slide and was said to be frustrated by Irving’s off-and-on availability.
Rumors began swirling that Harden was interested in reuniting with Daryl Morey in Philadelphia, culminating in a report this morning that said the former MVP wanted to be traded to the Sixers, but hadn’t made a formal request.
It still seemed like a long shot that the Nets and Sixers would find common ground before today’s trade deadline, but both sides were ultimately motivated to get something done. Brooklyn didn’t want to risk an unhappy Harden leaving for Philadelphia for nothing as a free agent in the offseason, while the Sixers wanted to resolve their standoff with Simmons and maximize their ability to contend for a title this season by acquiring a legitimate star to pair with MVP candidate Joel Embiid.
Morey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations, had maintained since Simmons first requested a trade last summer that the team wouldn’t give away the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up in a deal that didn’t bring back an All-Star caliber player. He took plenty of heat for that stance as the Simmons drama extended through the offseason, into training camp, and then well into the regular season, but it ultimately paid off. A year after missing out on Harden when the Rockets sent him to Brooklyn, Morey finally got his man.
Harden can become an unrestricted free agent this summer by turning down his $47.4MM player option for 2022/23 and would be eligible to sign a five-year contract worth up to about $269MM with the Sixers, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Harden and Embiid will team up to lead a Sixers roster that still features Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle, both of whom reportedly drew interest from the Nets during trade talks.
Philadelphia maintained through the process that Maxey was off the table, but Brooklyn pushed for Thybulle up until today. Shortly before the two teams reached a trade agreement, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported (via Twitter) that the inclusion of Thybulle was the last remaining sticking point. The Nets ultimately relented on that point.
Simmons’ value took a hit as a result of his poor showing in last season’s playoffs and his subsequent holdout, but the Nets are getting one of the NBA’s best play-makers and defenders, albeit one who still lacks a jump shot.
They’ll also add a sharpshooter in Curry who will fill in nicely for Joe Harris, whose status for the rest of the season remains up in the air due to an ankle injury. Both players on on multiyear deals, with Simmons not eligible for free agency until 2025, while Curry’s contract expires in 2023.
Additionally, the Nets found a new home for Millsap in the deal. The team had agreed last month to trade or waive the veteran forward, who wasn’t satisfied with his role in Brooklyn. The Nets will replace Millsap and bolster their frontcourt depth by adding Drummond, who is on a one-year, minimum-salary contract.
The Nets created $15MM in tax savings as a result of the move, Marks notes (via Twitter).
The Nets will take their time getting Simmons acclimated, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the former No. 1 overall pick welcomes the change of scenery.He has already spoken to Durant and they’re on the same page, Haynes adds.
Simmons, who said he wasn’t mentally ready to play for the Sixers this season, will continue to work with his therapist now that he has been traded, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. “It’s a work in progress,” a source told Shelburne.
While more deals will be made today, it’s safe to say none will be as impactful as this one, featuring two Eastern Conference rivals who hope to contend for a title this season. It will be fascinating to see how the Nets and Sixers look going forward.
Nuggets Sign DeMarcus Cousins To Another 10-Day Deal
FEBRUARY 10, 8:02pm: The Nuggets have officially signed Cousins to a 10-day contract, Singer tweets.
FEBRUARY 10, 3:59 pm: Now that the trade deadline has come and gone without the Nuggets filling their open roster spot, they’ll move forward with their plan to sign Cousins to another 10-day contract, tweets Singer. The big man is expected to be available for Friday’s game vs. Boston, Singer adds.
FEBRUARY 7: The Nuggets will likely sign center DeMarcus Cousins to another 10-day contract, a league source tells Mike Singer of The Denver Post. However, it remains unclear when exactly that will happen.
As Singer explains, with the trade deadline just three days away, Denver is still assessing its options and determining whether to keep its 15th roster spot open to accommodate a potential deal. The Nuggets aren’t eligible for a hardship exception, so they’d have to use that lone roster opening to re-sign Cousins.
If they don’t bring back Cousins prior to Thursday’s deadline, the Nuggets will likely do so afterward. As Singer notes, the veteran big man earned praise from head coach Michael Malone and star center Nikola Jokic on Sunday after he grabbed nine rebounds in 16 minutes in a win over Brooklyn. His 10-day contract expired after that game.
In total, Cousins has appeared in five games with Denver, averaging 6.0 PPG and 7.0 RPG in 13.3 MPG while struggling with his shot (.257 FG%). He initially signed a 10-day hardship deal, which the team terminated early in order to give Cousins a standard 10-day contract after multiple players exited the COVID-19 protocols.
If Cousins signs another standard 10-day deal with the Nuggets, the team would have to either let him walk or sign him for the rest of the season once it expires. A player can’t sign more than two standard 10-day contracts with the same team in a season.
Suns Release Abdel Nader, Justin Jackson
The Suns have officially waived Abdel Nader, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). Phoenix had to remove a player from its 15-man roster in order to accommodate its acquisition of Aaron Holiday.
Nader, 28, was sent from Oklahoma City to Phoenix during the 2020 offseason in the Chris Paul trade. Since then, he has appeared in 38 games with the team, averaging 5.1 PPG and 2.3 RPG on .457/.386/.723 shooting in 13.2 MPG.
Injuries marred Nader’s time with the Suns. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in late April 2021, and while he returned from that injury in the playoffs and was available to start the 2021/22 season, that knee continued to give him problems. Nader hadn’t played for Phoenix since November and was being listed on the injury report as out due to right knee injury management.
The Suns will be on the hook for the rest of Nader’s $2MM this season, but won’t owe him any money beyond that. He had a $2.16MM team option for 2022/23.
Phoenix also terminated the 10-day contract of Justin Jackson, per today’s announcement. Jackson’s deal, signed last Tuesday, would’ve expired at the end of the day, so he’ll become a free agent a day early. Unlike Nader, Jackson won’t have to pass through waivers.