Hawks’ Schlenk: “It’s Not Going To Be A Major Overhaul”
The Hawks are heavily involved in the trade rumor mill ahead of the draft and free agency, but president of basketball operations Travis Schlenk says the team isn’t looking for a major roster shuffle.
“It’s not going to be a major overhaul,” Schlenk said, according to Jeff Schultz of The Athletic. “I think some people have assumed some things based on some of my comments or (team owner) Tony (Ressler)’s comments after the season.”
As Schultz writes, Atlanta faces an important offseason as a pretty good team that took a step back in 2021/22 — the Hawks made the Eastern Conference finals in ’20/21 but were eliminated by Miami in the first round of the playoffs this season. The Hawks want to compete for championships around Trae Young, but transforming a low-end playoff team into a championship-caliber club is easier said than done.
“It’s a lot easier to become a good team, a playoff team, than it is to become one that contends for a title,” Schlenk said. “We feel we’ve become a competitive team, but now we have to take the next step and these are difficult decisions. If you make a mistake in the draft, you can overcome that. It’s a two-year mistake. If you make a mistake in free agency or in a sign-and-trade, when you’re giving somebody a four-year, $150 million contract, that can be detrimental for a long time.”
Schlenk said he’s talking to five or six teams a day, and acknowledges that “there are four or five paths we can take right now.” He’s adamant that finding the right fit will play a crucial role in whichever path he takes.
“It’s about fit,” Schlenk said, per Schultz. “That’s an aspect of this people don’t appreciate enough. It’s easy to (assess) talent, but these are human beings, and they’re a close-knit group of guys who spend a lot of time together. The right guy or the wrong guy can really affect a team.”
It’s an interesting story from Schultz and worth checking out for Hawks fans who subscribe to The Athletic.
Fischer’s Latest: Ayton, Nurkic, Anunoby, Dort, Turner, Sharpe
The Trail Blazers are no longer viewed as a suitor for restricted free agent Deandre Ayton, sources tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. According to Fischer, Portland plans to re-sign starting center Jusuf Nurkic, who is an unrestricted free agent, and hopes to acquire Raptors forward OG Anunoby in exchange for a package headlined by the No. 7 overall pick of the 2022 draft.
However, Anunoby might not be the only target for the Blazers. It’s been rumored that the Thunder are trying to move up in the lottery, and Fischer reports that “there has been increasing talk” about Portland sending the No. 7 pick to OKC in exchange for No. 12 and a “package that could include” Luguentz Dort.
The three most realistic landing spots for Ayton, aside from re-signing with the Suns, appear to be the Hawks, Pistons and Raptors, says Fischer, adding that all three clubs have interesting pieces to dangle in a possible sign-and-trade for the center.
Echoing a report from Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, Fischer states that the Pacers could also be a possibility for Ayton in a sign-and-trade deal involving Myles Turner. The two players are both represented by agent Bill Duffy, Fischer notes (hat tip to RealGM).
According to Fischer, Shaedon Sharpe may be a candidate to fall in the lottery after a series of underwhelming workouts ahead of the draft. Fischer says Sharpe’s range might begin at No. 8, but he could also be a target of teams who try to acquire the No. 7 pick from Portland. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported yesterday that the Thunder are high on Sharpe.
James Harden Expected To Re-Sign With Sixers On Short-Term Deal
“All signs point toward” James Harden re-signing with the Sixers on a short-term extension, league sources tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
The two sides are aligned on a reunion, but Philadelphia’s ownership is reluctant to offer Harden the full four-year, maximum-salary extension he’d be eligible for if he opts into his 2022/23 player option worth $47.4MM, which he’s expected to do, according to Fischer.
Fischer notes that a two-year extension would give Harden significant financial security while allowing more flexibility if things don’t work out with the Sixers. Harden could earn approximately $1.5MM more in a theoretical three-year contract if he waits until August 10, which is six months after he was traded to Philadelphia, Fischer adds.
It’s also possible that Harden could take less than the max to create more roster flexibility to build around star center Joel Embiid, who finished second in the MVP race for the second consecutive year. For that to make sense, the team would have to move off some long-term salary.
Fischer’s sources confirm a report from The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor stating that the Sixers are dangling the No. 23 pick and Danny Green in trade talks, but as we previously mentioned, using Green’s expiring contract as a salary-matching piece would also be a little tricky, since it’s currently non-guaranteed, meaning it would count as $0 for outgoing purposes.
The Sixers could guarantee some or all of Green’s $10MM salary to make it more useful in a trade. But the more money they guarantee, the less appealing it will be as an asset to a potential trade partner, since Green is expected to miss most or all of next season after tearing his ACL.
Fischer also confirms a report from Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer that the Sixers are dangling Matisse Thybulle and Tobias Harris in trade talks. However, Philly values Thybulle’s strong defense and believes his poor performance in the playoffs may have been a result of being ineligible to play in Toronto due to his vaccination status, Fischer writes.
The Sixers would require “a significant upgrade to their rotation” in the form of a starting-caliber player in order to move Thybulle, according to Fischer.
While Fischer doesn’t specify what Philadelphia would be looking for in exchange for Harris, he does note that “Harris’ representation has made it known that the veteran would like more on-ball opportunities within the Sixers’ offense, particularly in pick-and-roll action.”
Rockets/Mavs Rumors: Gordon, Schröder, Wood Trade, Pinson
The Rockets held firm in their asking price of a first-round pick in exchange for Christian Wood and landed the 26th selection after agreeing to a trade with the Mavericks, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Sources tell Fischer that Houston’s asking price remains the same for Eric Gordon, with the team seeking yet another first-rounder.
Gordon was productive for the rebuilding club in 2021/22, averaging 13.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists on .475/.412/.778 shooting in 57 games, including 46 starts (29.3 minutes). Although his points per game were tied for a career-low, the veteran shooting guard posted a career-best true shooting percentage of 61.4%.
The 33-year-old is essentially on an expiring $19.57MM contract in ’22/23, as his $20.92MM figure for ’23/24 is non-guaranteed.
Here’s more on the Rockets and Mavs:
- As Keith Smith of Spotrac observes (via Twitter), if the Rockets keep all of their first round picks (third, 17th and 26th), they’ll have 19 players on guaranteed contracts for ’22/23, so Houston will have to make additional moves to get down to 15 prior to next season. Smith also notes that Dennis Schröder and Bruno Fernando are likely out of the picture due to the roster crunch. While this is an assumption on Smith’s part and not a report, his logic certainly makes sense, as neither player figures to be in the team’s long-term plans. Schröder is an unrestricted free agent this summer, while Fernando could be restricted if Houston tenders him a $2.2MM qualifying offer, which seems very unlikely at this point.
- In his video breakdown of the trade, Bobby Marks of ESPN says the Rockets will generate a $4MM trade exception as part of the deal. Zach Harper of The Athletic grades the swap, giving the Mavs a B-plus and the Rockets a B.
- Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle says (via Twitter) that Wood’s character concerns are overblown, calling him a “stand-up guy in an unbelievably tough two-season stretch.” Feigen believes Wood will “flourish” in Dallas.
- The timing of the trade was interesting, per Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link), who notes that Paolo Banchero worked out for the Rockets earlier in the day and then the team decided to trade a starting big man in Wood. Banchero is widely projected to go third overall to Houston.
- The four-for-one swap creates an unexpected amount of roster room for the Mavs, and league sources tell Marc Stein (via Twitter) that Theo Pinson is “strongly expected” to be re-signed on a standard deal. Pinson was viewed as the unofficial ring leader of the Mavs’ bench mob that earned the team $175K in fines during the playoffs due to its “bench decorum” violations. Stein reported a few weeks ago that Dallas wanted to retain Pinson, who is no longer eligible for a two-way contract after obtaining four years of NBA experience.
- One of Dallas’ top priorities entering free agency is acquiring a wing capable of receiving rotation minutes in the playoffs, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. The Mavs will be a luxury tax team in ’22/23, so their main tool to sign a free agent will be the taxpayer mid-level exception, which is projected to be worth $6,392,000.
Raptors’ Fred VanVleet “Confident” About Signing Extension
Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, who is eligible for an extension this summer, said he’s “confident” that the two sides will reach a long-term agreement.
“I’m not really too worried about contract discussions or anything like that,” VanVleet said in an interview with Adam Laskaris of Daily Hive. “That’s just the business aspect of it. And I’m confident that we’ll figure it out.”
As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported a couple days ago, if VanVleet keeps his player option for 2023/24, he could extend for up to three years and $89MM this summer. If he declines the option, he could extend for up to four years and $114MM.
The 28-year-old has spent all six of his NBA seasons with Toronto, and he hopes he remains with the club for his entire career.
“I love being a Raptor,” VanVleet said, per Laskaris. “I would love to spend my entire career here. We have a great relationship with the city, the franchise, ownership, management… it’s a match made in heaven for me.”
An All-Star for the first time in 2021/22, VanVleet averaged 20.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.7 APG and 1.7 SPG on .403/.377/.874 shooting in 65 regular season games (37.9 MPG). Unfortunately, he was clearly limited by knee and hip injuries in the second half of the season, with all of his averages falling off dramatically.
The injuries sidelined him for the final two games of the postseason, when Toronto fell to Philadelphia in six games. He was also limited to just 14 minutes in Game 4 of the first-round series, missing the entire second half of the contest.
“I was kind of down a little bit the way the season ended and obviously being hurt,” VanVleet said of his offseason training. “Right now priority number one is my body. When I go out there on that court and I feel great, and my body’s feeling strong and fast, I feel like I’m one of the top players in the league. So I’ve just got to find a way to maintain that, sustain that as long as possible.”
It’s an interesting interview from Laskaris and worth checking out in full.
Robert Williams Had Knee Drained “Repeatedly” Vs. Heat
Celtics big man Robert Williams has struggled with pain and swelling in his left knee throughout the postseason, and he continues to be listed as questionable ahead of Game 6 against Golden State on Thursday, but that status isn’t a mere smokescreen.
“I honestly take it day-by-day,” Williams told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. “I can be feeling good right now, and then the next couple of hours it’s pretty sore. I try to take it day-by-day as much as I can.”
The 24-year-old has to go through multiple hours of treatment every day in order to manage the knee, but he’s also endured more invasive medical procedures to stay on the court. League sources told Haynes that Williams “had his knee drained repeatedly during the Eastern Conference Finals” versus the Heat.
“I was really having my knee drained a lot last series,” Williams confirmed to Yahoo Sports. “I stopped draining it because there was no point, in my opinion. My knee kept filling back up with fluid. So, I’ve kind of learned how to manage it to be able to play.”
Boston’s medical staff has assured Williams that his surgically repaired knee won’t get worse if he keeps playing, but pain management continues to be an issue, Haynes writes. Williams said he plans to continue to battle until the season concludes.
“S–t, we’re trying to win,” Williams told Haynes. “It’s crazy. I’m living my dream right now. Obviously, it would be way better if we win, but my whole thing is accountability for my team. Letting them know I’m here through whatever, and hopefully, the message is relayed to everyone else.”
Williams, who was named to the All-Defensive Second Team this season, averaged 10 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 61 regular season games (29.6 minutes). However, he’s clearly been hampered by his knee in the playoffs, with his averages falling off to 7.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 16 games (22.6 minutes).
Northwest Notes: Jazz, Blazers, Wolves, Nuggets
Sources told Tony Jones of The Athletic that “there is a world where the Jazz keep most of their top-seven core with the hope that a new coach energizes them.” Jones explores the potential cost of a Rudy Gobert trade to Chicago with fellow Athletic writer Darnell Mayberry, but stresses that Gobert won’t be traded just for the sake of shaking up the roster, noting that the asking price for the three-time Defensive Player of the Year will be very high.
Utah is casting an extremely wide net as they seek a replacement for Quin Snyder. As our head coaching search tracker shows, Sam Cassell became the 15th candidate linked to the Jazz after it was reported that he’ll interview for the vacancy.
Here’s more from the Northwest:
- The Trail Blazers are hosting a pre-draft workout with six prospects on Wednesday, including a couple of potential lottery picks, tweets Aaron J. Fentress of The Oregonian. Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 7 prospect on ESPN’s big board, headlines the group, followed by Jeremy Sochan (No. 15), Dalen Terry (No. 25), John Butler (No. 67), Jamaree Bouyea (No. 79) and Jordan Hall (No. 87). Portland holds the Nos. 7, 36 and 59 picks in the draft.
- The Timberwolves are also hosting workout of draft-eligible players on Wednesday, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). The group features multiple potential second-round picks, including Hugo Besson (No. 41 on ESPN’s board), Michael Foster Jr. (No. 49), Jean Montero (No. 52) and Gabe Brown (No. 78). It also includes Nysier Brooks, who is unranked, and David Roddy (No. 30), as Wolfson previously reported. The Wolves hold the Nos. 19, 40, 48 and 50 picks, but aren’t expected to have four rookies on the roster next season.
- Peyton Watson (No. 34) headlines a group of six prospects working out for the Nuggets on Thursday, as Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports relays (via Twitter). The other five players are Florida’s Anthony Duruji, UNLV’s Bryce Hamilton, Flagler’s Jaizec Lottie, Marquette’s Darryl Morsell and Buffalo’s Ronaldo Segu, all of whom project to go undrafted and are unranked on ESPN’s board. After reaching an agreement to trade JaMychal Green to the Thunder, Denver now controls the Nos. 21 and 30 picks in the 2022 draft.
Sixers Notes: Harris, Draft Plans, Warren, Riller, J. Williams
Tobias Harris‘ large contract makes his future with the Sixers uncertain, according to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice, who takes a deep dive into what the team should do with the veteran forward.
Neubeck notes that Harris, who will make $37.63MM in 2022/23 and $39.27MM in ’23/24, has roughly twice the salary of other productive NBA starters, limiting the team’s financial flexibility. Harris also saw his offensive role reduced following the trade for James Harden, becoming more of a complementary spot-up shooter.
In 73 regular season games, Harris averaged 17.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 3.5 APG on .482/.367/.842 shooting. He had a nice postseason run, playing improved defense while averaging 16.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.9 APG and 1.1 SPG on .500/.386/.864 shooting in 12 games.
As Neubeck writes, Harris is paid like a star, but produces more like a high-end starter. Ultimately, Neubeck believes the most likely outcome is that the Sixers will hold onto Harris through next season, at which point his expiring contract in ’23/24 could make him more valuable.
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- In a separate article for PhillyVoice, Neubeck thinks the Sixers will stand pat on draft night and select a player who can step into an immediate rotation role with the No. 23 pick. However, he notes that things change quickly in the NBA, so that outcome isn’t set in stone by any means. Neubeck states that Danny Green, whose name has been floated in trade rumors, underwent surgery to repair his torn ACL roughly two weeks ago.
- Within the same piece, Neubeck says that “talk has picked up some” that forward T.J. Warren, an unrestricted free agent this summer, could receive a relatively large, one-year, $10+MM “prove-it” deal from a rebuilding club. Warren has played just four games over the past two seasons, so the injury concerns are obvious. If he’s unable to land such a deal, Neubeck thinks the Sixers and other contending clubs will likely pursue Warren and try to sell him on rebuilding his value on a short-term deal, similar to what happened with Victor Oladipo in Miami.
- Free agent point guard Grant Riller has a workout scheduled with the Sixers later this week, a source tells our JD Shaw (Twitter link). Riller spent time on two-way contracts with Philadelphia and Charlotte the past couple seasons. The 25-year-old was waived by the Sixers in December when he injured his shoulder, which required surgery, but he’s fully recovered now.
- Santa Clara’s Jalen Williams could be an intriguing option if he’s still available at No. 23, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He’s ranked No. 21 on ESPN’s big board and averaged 18 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.2 APG and 1.2 SPG on .513/.396/.809 shooting for the Broncos in ’21/22.
Draft Notes: Green Room, Draft Targets, Comps, Mock, Minott
The list of prospects invited to the green room on draft night has expanded to 16, tweets ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. The list includes all of the top-16 ranked players on ESPN’s big board: Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, Dyson Daniels, Shaedon Sharpe, Bennedict Mathurin, AJ Griffin, Jalen Duren, Johnny Davis, Ousmane Dieng, Malaki Branham, Mark Williams, Jeremy Sochan and Ochai Agbaji.
A source tells Givony that the list could expand further, with four more invites still a possibility. The draft is nine days away.
Here are some more draft-related notes:
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report lists three realistic prospects for each team’s first pick of the draft. For instance, Wasserman believes Sochan, Tari Eason and TyTy Washington would be solid choices for Atlanta with the 16th overall pick.
- In a separate article for Bleacher Report, Wasserman provides NBA comps for 14 projected lottery picks, including Sharpe, whom Wasserman compares to Zach LaVine.
- The early entrant withdrawal deadline passed at 5:00 pm ET on Monday, so BasketballNews.com updated their 2022 mock draft to include some international prospects who were previously on the fence, such as Yannick Nzosa, Gabriele Procida and Ibuo Badji, who all go late in the second round (Twitter link via Matt Babcock of BasketballNews).
- Memphis wing Josh Minott recently worked out for the Kings, and has upcoming workouts with the Jazz, Trail Blazers, Timberwolves and Heat, according to Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com (Twitter link). Minott is ranked 46th on ESPN’s board.
Suns To Hire Patrick Mutombo As Assistant Coach
The Suns plan to hire Patrick Mutombo as an assistant coach, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Mutombo has been the head coach of the Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League affiliate, for the past two seasons.
A former Division II player for Metro State, Mutombo made several international stops in his playing career prior to becoming a coach. His first NBA job came in 2011/12, when he was named player development coordinator for Denver.
Mutombo was promoted to an assistant coach the following season and stayed with the Nuggets until 2015, when he had a one-season stint with the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s G League affiliate. After Austin, he was hired by the Raptors as an assistant and stayed in that role from 2016-20.
In 2020, the 42-year-old was promoted to head coach of the Raptors 905. In each of Mutombo’s two seasons at the helm, the team finished with the best regular season record in the G League (12-3 in ’20/21 and 24-8 in ’21/22).
The Suns held the best regular season record in the NBA in 2021/22 at 64-18 and head coach Monty Williams won Coach of the Year after finishing second in ’20/21. Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports (Twitter link) believes that Mutombo could become an NBA head coach in the future.