Knicks Open To Moving Walker, Fournier, Burks
The Knicks are open to discussing several of their veteran players in trade talks ahead of the February 10 deadline, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst told Malika Andrews during an appearance on NBA Today on Thursday (video link).
“In conversations this week with teams, the Knicks have expressed a willingness to trade some of their veteran players,” Windhorst said. “That includes Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, Alec Burks, guys like this.”
Walker, Fournier, and Burks all received multiyear contracts from the Knicks during the 2021 offseason. However, Walker has been considered available since he struggled out of the gate and temporarily fell out of the team’s rotation.
Fournier has also had an up-and-down season, and New York hasn’t played especially well when he’s on the court, registering a -5.1 net rating, compared to a +3.1 mark when he sits. Burks has been fairly solid, but Windhorst says the 23-26 Knicks are looking for a way to clear a logjam in their rotation and trying to find more effective lineup combinations.
“They traded for Cam Reddish two weeks ago and he is not getting minutes in the rotation from (head coach) Tom Thibodeau. And Derrick Rose is expected to come back from injury very soon here,” Windhorst said. “It’s just too crowded, and they’re not playing well with what they have. So they’re willing to change that mix, and they’ve related that.”
While Windhorst only mentions three players, it’s probably safe to assume that the Knicks would be willing to move others. Nerlens Noel and Mitchell Robinson are among the players whose names could surface in trade rumors before February 10. Even Julius Randle shouldn’t be viewed as a lock to be a Knick through the deadline, given his dip in production and his adversarial relationship with fans and reporters this year.
None of the contracts on New York’s books are too onerous to move, and the team controls a ton of extra second-round picks – as well as Dallas’ 2023 first-rounder (top-10 protected) – so the front office will have plenty of ammo to grease the wheels for potential trades if favorable opportunities arise.
Lakers Sign Stanley Johnson To Two-Year Deal
JANUARY 27: The Lakers have officially signed Johnson, per a team press release.
JANUARY 26: The Lakers and forward Stanley Johnson have agreed to a two-year deal, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The second year will be a team option, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who says (via Twitter) the contract is expected to be signed on Thursday.
Johnson has been with Los Angeles for the last month, having initially signed a hardship 10-day contract with the team on December 24. That was followed by two standard 10-day deals, the second of which will expire on Wednesday night.
Because a team can’t sign a player to more than two standard 10-day contracts in a season, the Lakers would’ve had to let Johnson walk if they weren’t prepared to give him a rest-of-season commitment.
However, Johnson has become a key part of Los Angeles’ rotation since his arrival, playing strong defense and averaging 6.4 PPG and 2.6 RPG on .516/.344/.789 shooting in 14 games (21.2 MPG). Letting him go wasn’t something L.A. wanted to do, even if it would’ve allowed the team to keep a 15-man roster spot open for added flexibility leading up to the February 10 trade deadline.
According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Johnson’s willingness to accept a team option for 2022/23 was a factor in the Lakers’ decision to commit its 15th roster spot to him, since that option will give the club some roster flexibility in the offseason.
Prior to signing with the Lakers last month, Johnson had been playing with the team’s G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. The 25-year-old signed a 10-day hardship deal with the Bulls earlier in December, but entered the health and safety protocols before appearing in a game with the team, then joined L.A. after that deal expired and he was cleared from the protocols. The No. 8 overall pick in the 2015 draft, Johnson has also played for the Pistons, Pelicans, and Raptors since entering the NBA.
Assuming Johnson signs his contract on Thursday and it’s worth the veteran’s minimum, he’ll earn $888,616 for the rest of the season. The agreement will ultimately cost the Lakers more than that, since they’re well above the luxury tax line.
A minimum-salary team option for Johnson for 2022/23 would be worth $2,351,521.
NBA Fines Mavs’ Porzingis, Hornets’ Washington, Raptors’ Champagnie
Three NBA players have been fined $15K apiece by the league for recent violations, according to a pair of press releases.
Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis received his $15K fine for kicking the game ball into the stands during the fourth quarter of his team’s blowout loss to Golden State on Tuesday. Porzingis received a technical foul and was ejected at the time of the incident — now he’ll face an additional penalty, though losing $15K of his $31.65MM salary is hardly an exorbitant punishment.
Meanwhile, Hornets forward P.J. Washington and Raptors forward Justin Champagnie were each fined $15K for their involvement in an on-court altercation during the first quarter of Tuesday’s game in Toronto.
As the league outlined in its announcement, Washington hip-checked Champagnie to the ground and the Raptors rookie retaliated by shoving Washington in the back. The Hornets forward escalated the incident by “forcefully shoving” Champagnie, according to the league. Both players received technical fouls and were ejected.
The penalties will sting a little more for Washington and especially Champagnie than for Porzingis. Washington has a $4.2MM salary this season, while Champagnie is a two-way player whose 2021/22 earnings can max out at about $752K.
Eastern Trade Rumors: Smart, Hawks, Collins, Siakam, Sabonis, More
Prior to sending Cam Reddish to New York, the Hawks discussed the framework of a trade with the Celtics that would’ve sent Reddish and Kevin Huerter to Boston in a deal for Marcus Smart, reports Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
Huerter is one of 11 players affected this season by the poison pill provision, complicating salary-matching in any trade involving him, but the deal described by Fischer theoretically would’ve worked for both sides if Atlanta had included another minimum-salary player (likely Solomon Hill).
Smart ultimately stayed put, and Fischer says it would take “significant value” for the Celtics to move him in another deal in the next two weeks. According to Fischer, there’s a sense around the league that the Celtics will be better in the second half than they were in the first half, as long as they’re healthier and first-year head coach Ime Udoka gets more comfortable.
Here a few more trade notes and rumors from around the Eastern Conference:
- One team contacted by the Hawks told Bleacher Report that Atlanta wanted a “valuable” first-round pick and a starting-caliber player in exchange for John Collins. Other teams think the Hawks could get even more than that for Collins, says Fischer.
- According to Fischer, the Raptors and Pacers at least briefly discussed a trade involving Domantas Sabonis and Pascal Siakam, but those talks stalled. The concept makes some sense in theory, since it would allow Myles Turner to be the lone center in Indiana, and Toronto has long been in the market for a five.
- Since Brook Lopez‘s recovery timeline remains up in the air, the Bucks are “poking around” the market for a center, with Suns big man Jalen Smith mentioned as a possible target, per Fischer. Semi Ojeleye is considered to be available and Milwaukee has received inquiries about Pat Connaughton and Donte DiVincenzo, Fischer adds.
- A handful of teams have expressed some interest in Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman, including the Spurs, Hornets, Mavericks, and Bucks, writes Fischer.
Rockets’ Garuba Undergoes Wrist Surgery, Out 6-8 Weeks
JANUARY 27, 9:33am: Garuba underwent surgery today to repair a fracture in his left wrist, according to the Rockets, who confirmed in a press release that the rookie is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks.
JANUARY 26, 2:02pm: Garuba will undergo surgery on his injured wrist and is expected to miss about six-to-eight weeks, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
JANUARY 26, 10:12am: Rockets rookie forward Usman Garuba is dealing with a left wrist injury that is more serious than initially believed, head coach Stephen Silas said on Tuesday, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Garuba has been ruled out indefinitely.
Garuba had been on a G League assignment with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and last played with the team on Saturday. He showed up on the Rockets’ injury report two days later with what was only described as a “left wrist injury.”
“He fell,” Silas said on Tuesday, per Feigen. “I was talking to him about it. He was like, ‘Yeah, I fell, and I didn’t think it was that bad.’ But it turns out it’s pretty bad. He’s going to be out for a while. There is some talk about him needing surgery.”
Based on Silas’ comments, it sounds like the Rockets and Garuba are still evaluating their options for how to treat the injury. If he undergoes surgery, we likely won’t see him for at least several weeks, if not months. His recovery timeline would depend on the nature of the injury.
The 23rd overall pick in the 2021 draft, Garuba had played sparingly for Houston so far, averaging 1.3 PPG and 2.3 RPG in 15 games (7.0 MPG). The 19-year-old likely would’ve seen more action at the G League level than in the NBA during the second half of the season, so his absence won’t have an impact on the Rockets’ rotation. Still, it’s a disappointing setback for a young prospect who is part of the team’s long-term plans — Garuba’s developmental process will be slowed until his wrist heals.
Western Trade Rumors: Kings, Pelicans, D. White, Mavs, More
The Kings are still expected to make some sort of major move ahead of this year’s trade deadline in an effort to strengthen their roster for a postseason push, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Sacramento has expressed interest in both Pacers centers, Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis, but Fischer hears that Indiana’s asking price has been much higher than what teams are willing to give up for either player.
According to Fischer, who says the Pelicans also have interest in Sabonis, Turner is still the more likely trade candidate of the two Indiana centers, but only if the Pacers are willing to drop their asking price a little, since teams are concerned about Turner’s injury recovery timeline and his ability to help a team this season. If the price remains high, Turner may stay in Indiana until the offseason.
One team to watch on the Turner front is the Trail Blazers, who gained some momentum in discussions with the Pacers prior to the big man’s injury, according to Fischer. If Portland is focused more on next season than this season, acquiring Turner would make some sense, but the Blazers still hold a play-in spot in the West, so they probably aren’t prepared to just throw in the towel.
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the West:
- Kings center Tristan Thompson is considered to be available in exchange for a second-round pick, says Fischer. I’m a little skeptical that Sacramento will be able to get positive value for Thompson by himself.
- The Spurs received a call from the Hawks about guard Derrick White, Fischer reports. It doesn’t sound like those discussions gained any traction, but Fischer points out that San Antonio has been viewed since 2020 as a potential suitor for Atlanta big man John Collins.
- As previously relayed, rival executives think the Mavericks may trade one of Jalen Brunson or Dorian Finney-Smith by February 10. Both players will be unrestricted free agents this summer, so there will be nothing stopping them from signing elsewhere, and if the Mavs do re-sign both, they’ll likely be taxpayers. However, Dallas has expressed confidence in its ability to re-sign both players, according to Fischer, who adds that there’s a belief Finney-Smith will seek $15MM annually on his next deal.
- The Thunder‘s asking price in any trade for forward Kenrich Williams is believed to be a first-round pick, per Fischer.
Rockets Rumors: Gordon, Wood, Theis
A report earlier this week stated that the Rockets appear increasingly likely to hang onto Eric Gordon through this season’s trade deadline, but Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report hears that Houston – in discussions with rival teams – has conveyed confidence about receiving a first-round pick in exchange for Gordon.
Unless the pick is heavily protected or they’d have to take a really bad contract or two back in return, it’s hard to imagine the Rockets would turn down the opportunity to acquire a first-rounder for the 33-year-old guard, who doesn’t fit the their rebuild timeline.
While there may have been some truth to The Athletic’s report about the Rockets’ desire to keep Gordon for his leadership abilities, I suspect the team is posturing at least to some extent in an effort to get teams to increase their offers.
Here’s more on the Rockets:
- An earlier report on Christian Wood linked him to the Heat, stating that Miami has been one of the most “persistent” teams engaging with Houston in conversations about Wood. Fischer confirms the Heat have been frequently mentioned recently as a potential suitor for the big man.
- According to Fischer, word of a possible Wood/Duncan Robinson framework has circulated around the league, but the Rockets would certainly require a far greater return for their leading scorer, rebounder, and shot-blocker, who is on a very team-friendly contract (Wood will earn $13.7MM this season and $14.3MM in 2022/23).
- Rockets center Daniel Theis has been generating significant interest, Fischer reports, naming the Hornets, Bucks, and Raptors as teams that have inquired on the big man. Fischer also confirms that the Celtics have checked in on Theis, as previously reported by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Blazers Rumors: McCollum, Powell, Covington, Patterson
The Trail Blazers are considered one of the NBA’s most active teams in trade discussions leading up to the February 10 deadline, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who says the Hawks, Pacers, Kings, and Pelicans also fall into that group.
While it remains to be seen exactly what direction Portland will take at the deadline, it seems clear the team remains motivated to shed a little salary to get out of luxury tax territory, Fischer writes. Rival executives who have spoken to Bleacher Report suggest CJ McCollum, Norman Powell, Jusuf Nurkic, and Robert Covington could all be trade candidates.
Here’s more on the Blazers:
- The Pelicans have been the team most frequently linked to McCollum, says Fischer. Fischer suggests a package of Jonas Valanciunas and Josh Hart might make sense, but acknowledges that New Orleans will be reluctant to part with Valanciunas, preferring to move players like Tomas Satoransky and Jaxson Hayes.
- Noting that Portland has been among Jerami Grant‘s suitors, Fischer wonders if Powell might appeal to the Pistons. Detroit is believed to prefer draft picks and young players in any Grant trade, but Dwane Casey coached Powell in Toronto and Fischer says the Pistons were one of Powell’s top options as a free agent last summer.
- Despite their reported interest in Covington, the Jazz have been described by Fischer’s sources as an unlikely landing spot for the Blazers forward.
- The Blazers moved quickly earlier this month to hire former Cavaliers executive Andrae Patterson as an assistant general manager, according to Fischer, who says Patterson received a job offer just one day after Portland requested permission to interview him. He’ll have “significant input” in the team’s draft and free agency planning.
- Besides hiring Patterson, interim GM Joe Cronin has also made changes to the Blazers’ scouting department, public relations department, and medical staff, so there’s no reason to believe he won’t have the go-ahead to make major roster changes too, Fischer writes.
Aron Baynes Discusses Health Scare, Hopes To Return To NBA Next Season
Back in August, a report indicated that center Aron Baynes had sustained a serious neck injury and was in jeopardy of missing the entire 2021/22 season.
That report provided a few details on Baynes’ status — the injury apparently occurred during one of Australia’s Olympic contests in Japan and got worse after he slipped and fell in the team bathroom. However, additional details were scarce, and it has been nearly six months since we’d heard anything more about Baynes’ condition.
For the first time, Baynes has opened up about his situation, speaking to Brian Windhorst of ESPN about his nightmarish experience in Tokyo and his long recovery process.
As Windhorst details, Baynes ran to the bathroom between the third and fourth quarters of Australia’s game against Italy, but didn’t return, prompting a concerned staff member to look for him. That staffer found Baynes in the locker room near the bathroom, sprawled on the floor with blood on his uniform and two puncture marks in his upper arm (possibly caused by two towel hooks on the wall).
Baynes, who had landed on his head and neck after slipping off the rim during a dunk attempt in warmups three days earlier, may have hit his head again when he fell on his way to the bathroom. He was unable to stand up or walk under his own power and was quickly rushed to a Japanese hospital, where he stayed for the rest of Australia’s Olympic run, worried that he might be paralyzed.
“The loneliest time in my life was laying in that hospital, going in and out of consciousness, going over my life plan and my goals and just crying,” Baynes told Windhorst. “My uncle Don had an accident 10 years ago. He’s a quadriplegic. My family’s had first-hand experience with this going down. I was so scared.”
Baynes underwent testing and treatment in Japan, but had a hard time communicating with doctors and nurses due to the language barrier. After an MRI revealed Baynes was suffering from internal bleeding that was putting pressure on his spinal cord, his doctors in Tokyo believed he would require surgery, but an Australian neurosurgeon who had seen the condition in the past was consulted and recommended a treatment plan of medication and physical therapy in order to get the 35-year-old healthy enough to fly home to Brisbane.
After spending nearly two weeks in the Japanese hospital unable to move his limbs and dealing with nerve pain that he described as “a combination of burning, fire, knives,” Baynes was able to stand up on his own and was cleared to go home, though he had to be strapped down and anesthetized for the eight-hour flight.
Baynes was in a Brisbane hospital for another month and has been completing intense physical therapy in the months since returning from Tokyo, first relearning to walk, then to run. On Wednesday, according to Windhorst, the veteran big man picked up a basketball and took some shots for the first time since the Olympics.
Baynes, who says he’s made “a lot of progress” in the last few months, told ESPN that his goal is to return to the NBA for the 2022/23 season. His desire to make a comeback is related, in part, to the fact that referees aren’t calling as many fouls this season, which he believes favors his physical style of play.
“It looks so much more fun now. That’s how I grew up playing and I really want to get back to it,” Baynes told Windhorst. “I’ve got the want to get there and every single day I expect a lot out of everyone around me. I don’t know what the path will look like, but I’m going to give it one hell of a crack.”
For more details on Baynes’ last few months, including an account of Matthew Dellavedova posing as a doctor to visit his Australian teammate in the Tokyo hospital, be sure to check out Windhorst’s full story.
Lonzo Ball To Undergo Knee Surgery, Out 6-8 Weeks
JANUARY 26: Ball will have surgery this Friday, January 28, according to coach Billy Donovan, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets. As Donovan previously noted, Ball’s six-to-eight week recovery timeline will begin once the injury is repaired.
JANUARY 21: Bulls head coach Billy Donovan told reporters, including K.C. Johnson and Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter links), that Ball will have surgery next week and will rehab and do strength work in the meantime. Donovan also clarified that Ball is suffering from a bone bruise as well as a torn meniscus, and the six-to-eight week recovery timeline will start once he has the procedure.
JANUARY 20, 12:48pm: The Bulls have confirmed in a press release that Ball will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee following an “initial period of rest and targeted intervention.” He’s expected to return to action in about six-to-eight weeks, according to the team.
JANUARY 20, 9:43am: Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has been diagnosed with a small meniscus tear in his left knee and is considering his treatment options, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links).
As Charania explains, there’s a possibility that Ball will be able to play through the injury while team doctors keep an eye on his knee, but if that’s not deemed viable, he’ll undergo surgery and would miss several weeks. Ball underwent arthroscopic surgery to address a similar injury in the same knee during July of 2018, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago notes (via Twitter).
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links), the Bulls and Ball are expected to finalize a decision within the next couple days. If he goes under the knife, the 24-year-old would probably be sidelined for about four-to-six weeks, sources tell Wojnarowski.
As we relayed on Wednesday night, head coach Billy Donovan told reporters that the initial treatment plan on Ball’s knee injury was unsuccessful and that team doctors were waiting to see how the knee responded to the new treatment before making any decisions on a course of action and recovery timeline. Ball isn’t accompanying the team on its three-game road trip to Milwaukee (Friday), Orlando (Sunday), and Oklahoma City (Monday).
In his first season in Chicago, Ball is averaging 13.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 5.1 APG on .423/.423/.750 in 35 games (34.6 MPG). He has been the team’s full-time starter at the point and has played a key role in the team’s turnaround, along with fellow newcomers DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso.
While Ball’s diagnosis isn’t great news for the Bulls, the team did get Caruso back in its lineup on Wednesday night following a 13-game absence due to foot and hamstring injuries, as well as a stint in the health and safety protocols. Caruso’s role would increase if Ball misses a significant period of time, with Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White also playing important minutes.