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Latest On James Harden, Rockets, Nets

November 17th, 2020 at 9:54am CST by Luke Adams

While a pair of former All-Stars – Chris Paul and Jrue Holiday – were involved in trades agreed upon on Monday, another All-Star guard briefly stole NBA headlines. Word broke that Rockets superstar James Harden had turned down an extension offer that would have tacked on two years and a staggering $103MM to the three years left on his current deal. Harden is said to be “singularly focused” on being dealt to the Nets, per Monday’s reports.

According to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle, Harden has indicated to the Rockets that he’s not interested in going anywhere except Brooklyn and that he believes the team should make the best deal it can with the Nets, “even if they do not consider it satisfactory.” That’s a bold demand for a player with at least two years left on his contract — even a player of Harden’s caliber.

As Adrian Wojnarowski reiterated this morning during an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up (video link), the Rockets aren’t yet acting with urgency and feel like they can afford to take their time, given Harden’s contract situation. While the Rockets have been in contact with the Nets, no substantive discussions have taken place between the two teams yet, Woj adds.

Houston also hasn’t engaged with any other teams about Harden, since he appears to be solely interested in Brooklyn and the Rockets don’t want to move him to begin with, says Feigen.

Here’s more on the former MVP:

Although the Nets have several intriguing assets, they don’t have one “knockout” piece – such as a young player with superstar potential or a future pick that would land at or near the top of the draft – to entice the Rockets, Wojnarowski notes. Feigen makes a similar point, suggesting that Brooklyn’s inability to offer a player who could be Harden’s “successor” has Houston resisting the idea of making a trade with the Nets.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe takes a deep dive into the possibility of a trade between the Nets and Rockets and contends that a Brooklyn offer for Harden would probably have to look something like this: Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen, some small salary filler, this year’s No. 19 pick, two unprotected or lightly-protected future first-rounders, and two future pick swaps.
As of Monday, the Rockets didn’t consider their relationship with Harden broken, according to Feigen, who said talks between the two sides have been “cordial.” The team just hasn’t yet been able to convince him to reconsider his position.
The Rockets’ other former MVP, Russell Westbrook, remains a trade candidate as well, but nothing is close on that front. As Feigen explains, Houston hasn’t yet been able to find a deal for Westbrook that would bring a strong enough return to help convince Harden that the team can still contend for a title.
The fact that the Rockets surrendered multiple draft picks and pick swaps in last year’s Westbrook acquisition has made the team hesitant to embark upon a rebuild, per Feigen. Houston also still believes it can be a factor in the Western Conference race if both Harden and Westbrook return and the right additions are made.

Atlantic Notes: Hayward, Knicks, Raptors, Draft

November 17th, 2020 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics will get some clarity on their offseason by 5:00 pm eastern time on Tuesday, according to Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald, who says that’s the deadline for Gordon Hayward to either exercise or pass on his $34.1MM player option for 2020/21.

A pair of league sources tell Murphy that Hayward still hadn’t finalized a decision as of Monday night. One source predicted Hayward would opt in, but the other suggested there would be plenty of interest for the Celtics forward if he becomes a free agent. “All I know is that there’s a lot of people who want him,” that source said.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

The Knicks reopened their Tarrytown practice facility on Monday, nearly a week after shutting it down due to three members of the organization testing positive for COVID-19, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Sources tell Berman that no players were among those who tested positive.
The Raptors‘ chances of re-signing Fred VanVleet increased as a result of the Suns’ acquisition of Chris Paul, according to Dave Feschuk of The Toronto Star. Phoenix was considered one of the few teams that could make a run at VanVleet in free agency — Toronto still may have to contend with New York and Detroit, among others, however.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Mike Schmitz, and Bobby Marks (Insider-only link) identify the Knicks, Celtics, Nets, and Sixers as four of the eight best candidates to make draft-night trades on Wednesday.

James Harden Seeking Trade, Turns Down Extension Offer

November 16th, 2020 at 7:55pm CST by Luke Adams

7:55pm: The Rockets offered Harden the maximum allowable extension — a two-year, $103MM deal that would start in 2023 — but he turned it down, according to Wojnarowski. There has been contact between Houston and Brooklyn, Harden’s desired destination, but there’s been no meaningful dialogue, Wojnarowski adds.

While Harden is seeking a trade, he appears “singularly focused” on Brooklyn as a landing spot, per Wojnarowski. Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston conveys a similar sentiment, tweeting that Harden only wants to be dealt to the Nets.

With at least two years still left on Harden’s contract, the Rockets can afford to “slow-play the process,” according to Wojnarowski, who says the team’s preference is to work through the issues with its star guard. That looks like a challenge at this point, but there’s also no indication that Houston believes the Nets could deliver the massive return of assets the Rockets would be seeking for Harden, writes Woj.

1:46pm: Harden wants to be on a contender elsewhere, and the Nets and Sixers are believed to be atop his wish list, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Crucially, Charania notes that the Rockets are “fully comfortable” keeping both Harden and Westbrook into the season. Both players still have two fully guaranteed years left on their contracts, with pricey player options for 2022/23.

10:38am: Superstar guard James Harden wants to move on from the Rockets, according to Brian Smith of The Houston Chronicle, who says the former MVP is pushing for a trade to Brooklyn. ESPN first reported on Sunday that Harden was intrigued by the possibility of being traded to the Nets.

The dissatisfaction of the Rockets’ two star guards has apparently escalated within the last week. On Wednesday, we heard that Harden and Russell Westbrook had expressed concerns about the team’s direction and that the idea of them requesting trades had become a “plausible eventual possibility.” Less than 24 hours later, word broke that Westbrook was hoping to be dealt. Now it sounds as if Harden feels the same way.

ESPN’s report on Sunday indicated that Houston hasn’t engaged in any trade talks with the Nets. However, the team is evaluating its options moving forward, sources tell Chris Mannix of SI.com.

The Rockets have repeatedly stated that they’re intent on contending in 2020/21 and that their plan is to “run it back” with Harden, as ESPN reported on Sunday. Rather than blowing up their roster, their goal is to reignite their core players’ belief in their championship chances, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

As Feigen explains, Houston’s decision-makers have no interest in starting over by “tearing things down to restock shelves with draft picks and prospects.” Trading Harden would only make sense in a full-scale rebuild, and since they’ve already traded away a pair of future first-round picks and agreed to two other pick swaps, that’s not a particularly appealing option for the franchise.

The Rockets still believe they can bring in help this offseason to rebuild Harden’s confidence in their title chances, per Feigen. It’s unclear if trading Westbrook would be part of that plan — so far, new general manager Rafael Stone is in the “listening” and “exploring” stage on Westbrook, rather than the “shopping” stage, says Feigen. Houston would ideally want win-now pieces in a Westbrook deal, rather than future assets. For what it’s worth though, the Westbrook market is said to be “relatively barren,” per ESPN.

If the Rockets do become open to the idea of moving Harden, the Nets would be a fascinating trade partner. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving would almost certainly be off-limits, but Brooklyn could theoretically put together a package headlined by some combination of Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen, and Taurean Prince, with draft picks and pick swaps also in play.

ESPN reported on Sunday that it’s unclear how far the Nets would be willing to go in an offer for Harden, who has had conversations with Durant about the possibility of teaming up. A move to Brooklyn would also reunite Harden with former head coach Mike D’Antoni, who is now an assistant on Steve Nash‘s staff.

Of course, even if Brooklyn is Harden’s preferred destination, he’s still under contract through at least 2022, limiting his leverage to push for a deal to a specific team. If the Rockets convey a willingness to listen to offers for the 31-year-old, more clubs would presumably get involved, including Daryl Morey‘s new team, the Sixers.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pistons Trading Bruce Brown To Nets For Dzanan Musa, Second-Rounder

November 16th, 2020 at 7:55am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons and Nets have reached an agreement on a minor trade, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that Detroit is sending guard Bruce Brown to Brooklyn in exchange for forward Dzanan Musa and a 2021 second-round pick. The Pistons will also receive cash in the swap, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.

Brown, the 42th overall pick in the 2018 draft, has started 99 games in his first two professional seasons, appearing in 132 in total. Last season, he averaged 8.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 4.0 APG with a .443/.344/.739 shooting line in 28.2 minutes per contest.

Musa was the 29th overall pick in the same draft, but has less of a professional track record than Brown, having only logged minutes in 49 total games so far. He recorded just 4.8 PPG and 2.2 RPG on .372/.244/.750 shooting in 40 games (12.2 MPG) in 2019/20.

The 2021 second-round pick being sent to Detroit in the deal won’t be the Nets’ own pick, which Brooklyn traded away in a previous move. It’ll be Toronto’s ’21 second-rounder, per Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Brown has a non-guaranteed minimum salary ($1.66MM) for 2020/21 which will have to be guaranteed to make the trade work. He’ll be a restricted free agent in a year. As for Musa, he’ll earn a guaranteed $2MM salary next season, and Detroit will have until December 29 to decide whether or not to pick up his $3.62MM fourth-year option for 2021/22.

It’s easy to see why the deal makes sense for the Nets, who will save a little money and pick up a more reliable role player. They’re high on Brown’s defensive ability, Wojnarowski notes. Plus, as Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer observes (via Twitter), Brown gives the club added depth in the event of a possible Spencer Dinwiddie trade.

The Pistons’ motivation is a little less clear, but it’s worth noting that a new general manager – Troy Weaver – is making personnel decisions in Detroit now, so he wouldn’t have had any real attachment to Brown. Woj suggests (via Twitter) that Weaver’s first trade as the Pistons’ GM is the start of the process of “gathering future picks and assets.”

The NBA’s trade moratorium will end at noon eastern time today, so the Pistons and Nets can officially finalize their deal anytime after that point.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

James Harden Intrigued By Potential Move To Nets

November 15th, 2020 at 4:13pm CST by JD Shaw

The Nets have emerged as a possible trade destination for Rockets superstar James Harden, though it remains unclear if Houston is ultimately willing to part ways with the former Most Valuable Player, according to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Ramona Shelburne and Zach Lowe.

The idea of joining Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn has started to resonate with Harden, the trio adds. The Athletic recently reported that Harden remains committed to the Rockets despite a Russell Westbrook trade request.

Harden has also discussed the possibility with Durant (teammates from 2009-12) and has increasingly grown uneasy about Houston’s competitive future, leading him to consider other options, ESPN reports.

Brooklyn has a bevy of assets that could be included in a deal, including Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie and the No. 19 pick in Wednesday’s draft. Despite Harden’s apparent interest in the team, the Nets and Rockets have yet to engage in trade discussions, according to Wojnarowski, who adds that Houston has continuously stated its interest in retaining Harden for another season.

The Rockets have privately made it clear that if they did eventually entertain the idea of moving Harden, they’d need a “monstrous return of players, draft picks, and pick swaps,” per ESPN. While the Nets are believed to be weighing the viability of pursuing Harden, it’s not clear how willing they’d be to meet that asking price.

Harden is coming off a season that saw him average 34.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 68 games. He shot 44% from the floor and 36% from deep during those contests, further cementing his status as one of the league’s top offensive players.

Draft Notes: Anthony, Vassell, Maledon, Maxey

November 13th, 2020 at 9:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Southeast Division clubs have shown the most interest in North Carolina point guard Cole Anthony. He’s had individual workouts for the Wizards, Heat and Magic, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets. The son of former NBA guard Greg Anthony is ranked 19th on ESPN’s Best Available list. The Wizards own the No. 9 pick, with Orlando holding the No. 15 selection and Miami sitting at No. 20.

We have more draft news:

Florida State guard Devin Vassell, ranked 11th by ESPN, has worked out for a handful of teams, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets. Vassell said he’s visited with the Knicks, Warriors, Celtics, Hawks and Magic. The presence of the Hawks (No. 6 pick) and Knicks (No. 8) suggest Vassell could go in the top 10. Golden State’s interest is intriguing, suggesting Vassell would be a target if the club trades down from the No. 2 pick.
French point guard Theo Maledon has worked out for three Atlantic Division clubs as well as the Spurs, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. The Nets (19th pick), Celtics (three first-rounders) and Raptors (No. 29) have also taken a look at Maledon, who is rated 24th overall by ESPN.
As of Thursday, the Pelicans were the only team to host Tyrese Maxey, Rod Beard of the Detroit News tweets. The Kentucky shooting guard is 14th on ESPN’s list and New Orleans holds the 13th pick, so its interest late in the lottery makes sense.

Nets Have Genuine Interest In Jalen Smith

November 13th, 2020 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Maryland’s Jalen Smith declined to say which teams he has worked out for, but the Nets were one of the first teams to interview him and have genuine interest in drafting him, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Smith told reporters in a conference call that if he gets an opportunity to play with Kevin Durant, it would be a “dream come true.”

Mavericks Eyeing Oladipo, Dinwiddie, LaVine

November 12th, 2020 at 4:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks are seeking a secondary play-maker to complement Luka Doncic, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who says Pacers guard Victor Oladipo, Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie, and Bulls guard Zach LaVine are among Dallas’ potential trade targets.

The Mavs don’t project to have any cap room until 2021, but rather than sitting back and waiting a year to try to make a splash, the team is expected to be active in trade talks this month as it pursues another impact player. As a report last month indicated, the franchise doesn’t want to waste any time upgrading its roster around Doncic, who already looks like a perennial MVP candidate.

Oladipo, who is entering a contract year, has reportedly agitated some Pacers teammates and may not have a long-term future in Indiana, making him a potential target for Dallas. Typically, a 28-year-old who has made multiple All-Star teams would require a significant return, but Oladipo didn’t look like his old self last season after returning from his torn quad tendon. If the Mavs are willing to roll the dice on his health, like they did in 2019 with Kristaps Porzingis, the price might be a little lower than usual.

As for Dinwiddie, we heard earlier this week that multiple contending teams in the Western Conference had engaged in internal discussions about pursuing the Brooklyn guard. It’s safe to say the Mavs were one of those clubs, though it remains to be seen if the Nets will consider moving Dinwiddie. He may have his role reduced in 2020/21 with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving back in the lineup, but he’s also an important insurance policy in Brooklyn, given Irving’s and Caris LeVert‘s injury histories.

Meanwhile, we noted earlier today that the Mavs were among the teams that have contacted the Bulls recently to inquire on LaVine’s availability. Unless Chicago drafts a potential franchise guard such as LaMelo Ball next Wednesday, I’d be a bit surprised to see the team place LaVine on the trade block. Still, we don’t yet have a clear idea of which players new Bulls president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas is most attached to.

Oladipo, Dinwiddie, and LaVine will have respective cap hits of $21MM, $11.5MM, and $19.5MM in 2020/21, so it wouldn’t be too difficult for the Mavs to match salaries in any trade, either using Tim Hardaway‘s $19MM expiring deal or a smaller contract or two. Dallas also has this year’s Nos. 18 and 31 picks available to dangle in a trade offer.

Draft Notes: Edwards, Okoro, Toppin, Haliburton, Hampton

November 11th, 2020 at 4:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Georgia guard Anthony Edwards has long been considered a strong bet to be one of the first three players off the board in the 2020 NBA draft, and his list of workouts confirms as much. Speaking today to reporters, including Mark Medina of USA Today (Twitter link), Edwards said he has worked out for the Timberwolves, Warriors, and Hornets, the teams that hold 2020’s top three picks.

That doesn’t necessarily guarantee that Edwards will be selected by one of those three teams, but he also said today that he hasn’t had any contact with the Bulls, who hold the No. 4 pick, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). That’s a reasonably solid sign that Chicago doesn’t expect him to be available.

Here’s more on the draft:

Lottery prospects Isaac Okoro, Obi Toppin, and Tyrese Haliburton have only worked out so far for teams holding top-eight picks. Okoro has worked out for the Timberwolves, Warriors, and Cavaliers (Twitter link via Rod Beard of The Detroit News); Toppin has auditioned for the Wolves, Cavs, Hornets, and Knicks (Twitter link via Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com); and Haliburton has had workouts for the Wolves, Warriors, Bulls, and Pistons (Twitter link via Beard).
RJ Hampton has auditioned for a wider range of teams, telling reporters today that he worked out for the Cavaliers, Pistons, Wizards, Celtics, Magic, Nets, and Nuggets (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv). While three of those clubs have top-10 picks, three are outside the lottery, including Denver at No. 22.
After announcing earlier this week that 86 early entrant prospects had remained in the 2020 draft pool, the NBA announced today that two of those prospects submitted their paperwork in time to withdraw. Spanish forwards Sergi Martinez and Joel Parra have pulled out of the draft, per the league, leaving 84 early entrants – including 13 international prospects – eligible to be picked next Wednesday.

New York Notes: Knicks, Greer, Nets, Ivey, Stoudemire

November 11th, 2020 at 3:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Three Knicks employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting the team to temporarily shut down its practice facility while the building gets a “thorough cleaning,” the team announced on Tuesday night in a press release.

The NBA recently allowed teams to begin conducting group workouts at their facilities, though players who are participating in those group activities must return daily negative coronavirus tests. There’s no indication that the Knicks employees who tested positive for COVID-19 were players. However, the temporary shutdown of the team’s facility is an early sign of the challenges the league will face in the coming weeks as teams all over the U.S. ramp up for the 2020/21 season without the safety of a bubble.

Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:

Larry Greer, who was an assistant coach in Phoenix last season, is joining the Knicks as an advance scout, tweets Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Marc Berman of The New York Post first reported that the Knicks may hire Greer, whose brother Andy Greer joined the team as an assistant coach in the summer.
The Nets have added another coach to Steve Nash‘s staff, announcing (via Twitter) that they’ve hired Royal Ivey as an assistant. Formerly a Knicks player development coach, Ivey is good friends with Brooklyn forward Kevin Durant.
Alex Schiffer of The Athletic takes an in-depth look at another Nets assistant, exploring why Amar’e Stoudmire is getting into coaching and why he should be a good fit in Brooklyn.
News that the 2020/21 NBA season will start next month comes at a good time for Nets owner Joe Tsai, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who writes that Tsai recently lost over $1 billion in net worth due to the impact of new China regulations on the value of his company Alibaba.